Table for Two
by wolfpull85
Summary: Bella and Jacob meet at very different stages in their lives, but are they really that different? Maybe together they can figure everything out. AH and AU Rated M just in case the story goes where my stories usually go.
1. Chapter 1

**Author Note:** So I haven't given up on my other WIP but I needed a break. This is the first Jacob/Bella I've tried. Mostly because there are so many good ones I'm scared mine won't hang lol. But here it is anyway. I don't really know where this story is going yet so just roll with me folks.

And like a whiny, needy child I will need support on this one so good/bad/ugly tell me you're honest opinions. and NO it's not a cougar story lol

Full Summary: This story will be told in Jacob's POV. He's a young college student freshly on his own but what took him so long to leave the nest? Bella is an "older" college student not quite on her own but why is she just now starting her life? Could the two have more in common than they think and is a few years really that big of a deal? This is the story of a real life Jacob and Bella with real life issues.

Thanks to my lil sis Neutron Phantom for beta'ing me so spur of the moment but when the Muse calls she's a demanding bitch!

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**Table for Two: Chapter 1**

Keys, keys… Where the hell are my damn keys? I turned in circles looking around my room. Well, they don't have many places to hide. I looked at my rumpled bed—if you can call it a bed, being a box spring and mattress on the floor. No keys. I looked through the trash and empty cans on my makeshift bedside table, a wood box crate from a produce stand. No keys. I started throwing stuff from my dresser, my one real piece of furniture. _Aha!_ Keys, under the deodorant behind the cologne. So that's where I threw them.

I ran out of my small bedroom and took the four whole steps I needed to get to the living room. "Found 'em." I dangled the keys in front of my roommate who rolled his eyes and lazily got off the used futon that was acting as our couch. He flipped off the fifty-four inch flat screen—hey, priorities—and headed toward the door. Seth Clearwater and I had been living together for only a few weeks but I'd known the kid for years growing up on the Rez.

I made the move to Port Angeles after my dad finally talked me into college. At twenty-one I was a little older than most of the freshmen, but I didn't mind that so much. Seth was nineteen and had been going to school for a little over a year and even got me a job.

"Alright kid, move your ass; we're going to be late."

"Don't call me a kid Jake, you're only two years older than me. It's not my fault you act like a thirty-year-old man all the time." The playful smirk on his face told me he really wasn't bothered by my comments about his age. The truth was sometimes I did feel much older than him but some things in life make you grow up fast I guess.

"You know, for someone so _old_ you'd think you'd keep your shit a little cleaner. What the hell is this?" I turned to see Seth holding up some sort of trash that he picked up off the floor of my old Volkswagen Rabbit. I smirked at him, "a napkin I think," I grabbed it and threw it in the back seat, who has time for cleaning anyway?

~~**~~

"So, next table I'll let you take. And I'll just be over there in case you have any problems, okay?" Seth slapped me on the back and I nodded in confirmation. I could do this; I just hope I wouldn't make an ass out of myself.

I followed Seth out of the break room of the Port Angeles Country Club and into the Men's Grill. I'd been working here exactly one week and still had no idea what the hell I was doing. Most of my work experience centered on fixing cars on the Rez for money. This job was my first _real _job, but I was thankful that Seth put in a good word for me with the boss. Moving to Port Angeles and leaving Billy was so much easier when I had a job waiting for me.

"Hey man, you alright?"

"Yeah, just a little nervous."

Seth chuckled at me and shook his head. "You got this! It's just a bunch of stale, overweight rich guys smoking cigars and ordering scotch."

I sighed in relief and nodded my agreement. At least I had been lucky enough to get put in the grill with Seth this week for training. I knew that as soon as I was ready they would throw me out to the main dining room full of five-course meals and rich, bitchy women to cater to. Just as I was about to praise the gods for my good fortune I heard our front house manager.

"Seth, take Jacob out to the Palmer Room and help out Bella. She's getting her ass kicked out there." Mike Newton was a nice enough guy to work for, but when we were in the thick of dinner rush he could be a real douche bag. I didn't like the way he weaseled his way around the dining rooms working the guests and kissing ass like it was his job. Well, I guess it was his job.

"Sure thing Mike," Seth turned to me and I tensed up; this was the thing nightmares were made of. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if I hadn't heard all the horror stories from the rest of the wait staff. "Now or never man," and with that Seth led the way down the long hallway that separated the men's grill from the main dining room.

To say this place was intimidating was an understatement. The main dining room looked like something right out of a magazine, tall ceilings and fancy table settings made it a place that Port Angeles' elite could dine in seclusion and let their superiority shine. For a kid from the Rez, this place wasn't something you ever saw growing up and even though I was a little older than your typical college student I still hadn't seen much of the world. Hell, I hadn't seen _anything_ outside my little town but I had my reasons.

Seth elbowed me in the rib cage and successfully snapped me out of my daze. "Dude, knock it off, never let 'em see you sweat," he smirked at me. "Pretty soon you'll know so much gossip about these people that they will seem laughable to you, not intimidating." _Yeah right,_ I thought to myself as a stuffy old broad with a fur shawl walked by with her nose in the air.

Looking around the room, I took in all the organized chaos going on. Busers and wait staff moved around the room like a choreographed dance group taking orders and delivering food while dazzling the club members with small talk and big smiles. My eyes caught sight of one particular staff member and I immediately felt more at ease.

I watched her small form move around the dining room and a small smile found its way on my face. She was beautiful the way she blushed when one of the older men talked to her, no doubt sweet-talking her. The way her soft brown ponytail swayed back and forth as she moved on to her next table was mesmerizing; the overwhelming urge to touch it made my fingers twitch. The way she nearly tripped on her way back through the kitchen door made me laugh and the big brown doe eyes that met mine when she realized someone saw her took my breath away.

She disappeared behind the swaying door and I snapped out of the trance she had me in. "Dude, if you don't stop spacing out Newton is going to be on your ass," Seth said noticing for the second time in five minutes that I was lost to the world around me, though this time for an entirely different reason.

The lazy smile had yet to leave my face when I looked down at him. "Who was that?"

"Who was who, you spazz? Seriously Jake, get it together. This," he said waving his hand around the dining room, "is Newton's test—sick bastard loves throwing newbies to the sharks to see if they sink or swim."

Right. _Work, waiter._ Focus Black; get it together. I saluted Seth who rolled his eyes at me but led the way into the kitchen. "Hells Bells, the cavalry has arrived," he shouted at no one in particular turning the corner into the main area of the kitchen where wait staff was picking up food.

"Oh thank god! I thought I'd never get…" My doe eyed angel stopped dead in her tracks and looked up at me as I stood behind Seth. My own eyes grew large as I looked into hers and felt this weird electric hum fill the air; the way she snapped her head down as a deep crimson blush crept up her porcelain skin told me she felt it too.

Seth cleared his throat as he looked between the two of us then giggled—yeah, _giggled_—"Well Hells Bells, this is Jake. I'm training him this week so I guess you will be too since Newton sent us here to pull you out of the weeds. Where do you need us?"

This comment from Seth seemed to get her mind back on track though. "Great! Um, could you take table eight for me? They just sat down and I really don't want to deal with them tonight… and then maybe just help me clean up table six, my big twelve top just left. After that you can escape back into paradise with your wrinkled old boy toys." She laughed at her own joke loudly and then snorted at the end but quickly snapped her hand over her face. I grinned widely at her as she walked past us mumbling and shaking her head.

"Don't even think about it man," Seth said as he pushed past me waving his hand over his back beckoning me to follow him.

"What do you mean 'don't even think about it'? She's cute," I said catching up to him then slamming into his back when he stopped.

"Listen Jake, I like Bella, a lot. She's a cool chick, but she's… she's too busy and not going to be interested so just stop while you're ahead. Besides, she's too old for you." Too old? How could she be too old? She looked to be about twenty-four, maybe twenty-five. That's not too old and what the hell did too busy mean?

As if sensing my confusion he leaned in closer to whisper, "Bella isn't like everyone else. She's kind and sweet but she's also closed up tighter than Fort Knox so just let her be."

"Well maybe she just needs someone to unfreeze that heart… Someone like me," I mocked his whispered tone back at him.

"Whatever Romeo, not going to happen." And with that we were back out in the dining room heading toward table eight for Bella.

"I prefer Paris, much healthier choice," I said as we reached the table, fortunately there wasn't time for his rebuttal.

"Hello, my name is Seth and this is…"

"Where's Bella?" This over dressed, over stuffed pompous asshat cut off Seth mid-introduction. I looked over Richy Rich as he sat there in his Brooks Brothers suit, all 'sex hair' and pale-skinned and couldn't help but sneer at him. Something about this guy I didn't like.

"I apologize Mr. Cullen, but Bella is very busy at the moment but Jacob and I would be happy…"

"It's fine Seth," an older woman with caramel colored hair and a bright smile said looking pointedly at who I assumed to be her son who was now pouting. Fucking _pouting_. Priceless.

"Seth, bring us our usual bottle of white and give us a minute to look over the menu please," the kind looking man with blonde hair and bright blue eyes said as he held hands with the older woman. Seth nodded to the table and turned while I waited just long enough to meet the eyes of fire crotch only to have him sneer at me like I was shit on his shoe.

"Who. The. Fuck. Was that?" I asked hot on Seth's tail as he headed to the bar to order the wine.

"That was the Cullens, richest members here. And some of the nicest." Seth replied with a hint of a smile then continued with a look of disdain, "The son though, Edward, spoiled shit if you ask me. Doctor too, just like his dad, but thinks he's entitled to whatever he wants." I laughed humorlessly at this comment.

"And he wants Bella," Seth added and my laughter stopped. "No wonder she wanted me to take this table. He's been after her since she started here a few months ago. Motherfucker even hits on her when his wife is sitting right next to him."

The rest of the night moved along quickly, I pulled my weight in the main dining room and impressed Mike enough for him to tell me starting Monday I'd be on my own. Damn right. It was a good Saturday night and I couldn't wait to get home and celebrate. Bella had successfully avoided Edward Cullen all night, which I was happy about, but at the same time meant I didn't see her because after waiting on him I was back in the Men's Grill for the night.

I clocked out around midnight and went into the break room to gather my things. When I walked in I almost walked right back out. I did that awkward-shuffle-half-turn-then-go-back-in thing twice before that adorable laugh/snort alerted me that she had just witnessed my oh-so-suave move. Nice one Black.

"Hey," was all I could muster out walking into the break room.

"Hey," Bella answered as she pulled her jacket out of a locker. "Jacob, right?" I nodded.

"So, I've been here over a week and haven't seen you. You only work on the weekends?" I asked feeling a little more comfortable; something about her just put me at ease.

"No, um, I've been on vacation?" but the way she asked rather than stated while studying her shoes told me she wasn't exactly in Cancun.

"Ah, well apparently you've been missed." I decided changing the subject would be the way to go but she furrowed her brow confused. "I waited on the Cullens tonight…"

"Oh… Yeah, sorry about that. I hope he behaved himself, but I'm going to go ahead and assume he didn't." Bella sat down at one of the tables and motioned for me to sit across from her. "Edward Cullen can be a little demanding and grouchy when he doesn't get his way, meaning me as their waitress."

"A _little_ grouchy?" I scoffed and grinned at her, "I think Eddie has a crush on the cute waitress." And cue the crimson that brightens up that porcelain skin.

"I think 'Eddie' is a spoiled rich kid who never grew up and should remember he's married to a lovely woman," she quipped back but the annoyance in her eyes unsettled me.

"Has he ever, I mean does he…" Not knowing how to say what I wanted to say I'd hoped Bella would fill in the blanks.

"Naw, he's harmless. A little obnoxious, but harmless nonetheless. Sort of like a gnat." After a few moments of silence Bella stood from the table. "Well Jacob, I'm ready to call it a night but I'll see you tomorrow I assume?"

"Yeah, Sunday Brunch; heard it's a pretty easy shift."

"Yep, keep the coffee filled and the plates cleared and you should do just fine."

"Bella!" I nearly shouted too loudly but I wasn't ready for her to go, "I, um, I was going to go get a drink, you know wind down a bit. After all its Saturday night… would you like to join me?"

A comforting but dejecting smile spread on her face as she touched my shoulder, "Jacob, how old are you?"

"Twenty-one, why?"

Bella sighed and removed her hand; the loss was felt immediately, "Well I'm…not twenty-one anymore. I just don't think it'd be a good idea." I looked down to my hands as my arms rested on my knees. "I'm flattered though, Jacob, I just think you might want to go get a drink with some nice coed from the college rather than…"

I stood up and towered over her suddenly realizing how tiny she really was. She couldn't have been more than 5'4" and the foot of height I had over her suddenly seemed huge. I bent down a little to look her in the eye, "I may be twenty-one Bella but I'm not like most of the guys my age, and I don't think a few years is a huge age difference."

Bella's eyes wildly searched my face while she tried to muster up a response. Luckily for her Seth came in the break room looking for me effectively saving her. "Hey guys," he said not realizing the moment we had just shared.

"Hey Seth," I said moving away from Bella. Though I could stay and talk all night I knew Seth was right, Bella was guarded. Luckily for her, I didn't quit so easily. I turned around. "Can we walk you to your car m'lady?"

"Oh brother," Seth said rolling his eyes while Bella giggled and pushed me from behind all the way out the break room. The three of us said a few good byes to the kitchen staff that was still in clean up mode and headed to the staff parking lot. Bella and Seth made small talk easily and I smiled watching the two of them interact; Seth was a good kid and a great judge of character so his approval of Bella told me a lot.

Once we got to the parking lot I followed Bella's lead to a beat up old truck as she unlocked the door. "Wow, this thing is…"

"Hey, don't rag on the truck." She snapped but the corners of her lips were twitching.

"I was going to say this thing is awesome." I must have surprised her because she arched her brow really high. I pointed to my car that Seth was standing in front of. "I have a thing for old cars I guess. If you ever have any trouble with your beast then you let me know."

She eyed me skeptically before hopping into the cab. "You sure you're only twenty-one Jacob Black?" she asked before closing the door not waiting for my answer. I laughed loudly and offered a small wave before walking over to my car and unlocking it for Seth.

Seth and I spent the next few hours playing Xbox and drinking beer. I didn't mention Bella because I had a feeling he was more protective of her than he was letting on. He did mention that she feels insecure about being older and still waitressing tables but when I asked again about her age and why she was still waitressing he simply said that it wasn't his story to tell.

Around two A.M. I called it a night and was asleep before I hit the bed, after all…the sooner I fell asleep the sooner I would be at work with Bella.

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	2. Chapter 2

A/N. just a real quick author's note this time. thank you to everyone who read and reviewed or added the story to alerts. sorry i've been so lame in responding to reviews...I'm going to do that RIGHT NOW! Jacob/Bella stories have always made me nervous to write and I'm glad you are liking it. I know it's still early on...so onward!

Thanks to Neutron Phantom for being my beta and cheerleader on this one. *note to writers* when writing a Jacob story...get a Jacob lover to beta lol. seriously though thanks so much!

oh...yeah..the "i don't own the characters" disclaimer...there I said it.

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**Table for Two: Chapter Two**

I woke up before my alarm on Sunday morning for one reason and one reason only—Bella. I would never have been able to drag myself out of bed at 8 a.m. after going to sleep after two the night before if it weren't for that mahogany-haired motivation. Hell, I would have never been excited about cleaning up someone else's dirty dishes and pouring their coffee, but now I was elated to be a waiter.

"Let's go man, what's taking you so long?" I screamed from the living room as Seth stumbled back and forth between his bedroom and the bathroom.

"This from the asshole that usually doesn't even know where his keys are?" To answer him I jingled them loudly in the air laughing. A few minutes later he emerged freshly showered and changed and looking a little more awake.

"Please tell me this has nothing to do with a certain waitress that you just met. _Please_ tell me you're going to listen to me for once. And please tell me that you… You know what, forget it. I know you too well."

"Aw, come on Seth, I'm not a vulture or anything, but there's just something about her. I can't stop thinking about her; the way she smiles, the way she laughs at her own jokes, even that cute little snort she gives when she's really laughing hard."

"Dude, you're acting like a love sick fool."

"Maybe I am," I said as we walked from our apartment complex to the Rabbit. "But I know, Seth, if she'd just give me one chance…"

"Not going to happen man," Seth said as he looked at me with pity. "Not that it wouldn't be awesome. It's just not in the cards, so just don't get your hopes up okay?" I nodded at him but knew that there was no way I could step aside and pass up my opportunity to get to know Bella. Even if I had to wait and be her friend first.

~~**~~

I was sitting at one of the small tables in the employee break room eating the breakfast they made for us before my shift started when Bella walked in all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. She smiled shyly at me before making her way to the lockers to put her things away. I did my best not to stare but she was making it very difficult.

"Mind if I sit down?" she asked, motioning toward the chair opposite mine, the same chair that she was sitting in the night before.

"Not at all," I said noticing that no one else was in the break room with us and leaned over the table as she sat down to whisper to her. "Do you find it odd that we are the only ones ever in here? Think that means we're slackers?"

Bella smiled back at me, setting her travel coffee thermos down and taking off the lid. "Seth didn't tell you about the back patio yet did he?"

She laughed at me while I shook my head wondering what the hell I had missed as she flipped the lid upside down to make a cup out of it. "It's where the staff takes their breaks during the summer or when it's nice out. It's behind the tall white privacy fence next to the kitchen. The newbies never get told about it until they've proven they can pull their weight."

"Oh! I wondered where he escaped to whenever Mike said we could take a break. I just assumed he was hiding in the bathroom or some secret storage closet with another waitress," I said with a wink, causing her to blush. I yawned lightly and pushed my plate away from me.

"Tired? Late night out college boy?" I noticed as she talked she moved the lid of her coffee thermos over to my side of the table. I shook my head and put up my hands as my nose involuntarily scrunched up.

"Oh, no thanks Bella, I don't drink coffee. Stuff tastes nasty to me."

"Trust me," was all she said. And that was all she needed to say. I lifted the lid of the thermos and sniffed it a little before pushing the big thermos to Bella and raised it in a toast. She aped my actions and we both drank the coffee.

"Wow, Bella. That's – that's really good, what's in there?" I said sticking my eye down into the cup causing her to laugh again.

"It's a latte you goof, I make them at home. The key is extra milk and a shot of caramel flavoring. Takes that nasty coffee taste out of it. Plus, it really wakes you up. I had to learn how to make the coffee tolerable when I worked at…" Her smile faded slightly and I knew she felt she said too much. We sat there silently enjoying our coffee for a while I tried to think of something to say, and then something struck me.

"Bella." She 'hmm'd' in response. "Why don't you sit outside with the rest of the staff?" She furrowed her brow and looked at me to clarify. "You know, the 'secret' employee spot. Why don't you sit out there with everyone?"

"Oh," she answered turning the thermos around as it scooted across the table. "I just don't, I mean I'm not good. With. People. I don't… have friends."

"Bella. I see you, the way you are with the members, the way you joke with Seth. What do you mean? I don't understand."

"Seth is too easy to _not_ get along with. And the members, it's my job to make them feel at home. But people… I don't get personal with people. They start to expect things from you." She lifted her head from staring at the thermos, and the sincerity and fear I saw in her eyes startled me. "You know they want to know things about you."

So, there you have it. Something or someone happened to Bella, something big to make her lose her trust in people; to make her leave whatever job it was that she almost told me about. "Well, Bella, you seem to be doing okay here, with me." I offered sincerely with a small smile.

"That's because you're just like Seth. Must be something in the water wherever you're from."

"I am _nothing_ like Seth; he's just a kid, he hasn't had to…well, anyway. La Push is where I'm from." I tried to divert the subject because as much as Bella was afraid to trust people, I was uncomfortable explaining my life to people too. Once they found out, they pitied me, and I didn't want Bella to pity me.

"La Push huh? I live in Forks… Small world I guess," Bella added, obviously picking up on my change of subject.

"Wow, Forks, surprised we don't know each other."

Bella stood up and began to fasten her apron around her waist. "Well, I haven't lived there long and don't forget, I'm a lot older than you." I rolled my eyes at her for bringing up the age thing again.

"Seriously Bella, you're really hooked on this age thing. Are you ever going to tell me how old "older" is?"

"Let's just say my birthday is in a few weeks…and I'm almost thirty." And with that, she walked out. I, however, sat there stunned. Thirty? I mean, I knew she was older than me, but thirty? I shook my head and followed the way she went out into the dining room.

I saw her greeting members as they walked into the dining room. She didn't look thirty, and did it matter? I kept watching as she turned my way and winked at me before turning and walking toward Mike to find out what her assignment would be for the day.

~~**~~

"I thought you said Sunday Brunch was easy." Yeah, I was whining, but I didn't care. Three hours and hundreds of plates cleared and I was exhausted. But these people just kept coming in and the food, _my god,_ no wonder rich people needed liposuction; they stuffed themselves like they were never going to eat again.

"God, stop whining, you sound like a little girl," Bella said with a giggle as I followed her back into the kitchen, both of us dumping full trays of dirty dishes on the dishwasher's sink. I mocked offense at her which turned her giggle into a full laugh, complete with snort.

"I'm used to the men's grill; a drink refill, and a burger now and then—easy as pie. _This_ is ridiculous."

"Well, wait until you're on your own and you have a Friday night. Brunch is easy. No orders to take, no kitchen staff to deal with. You act like you've never worked before. Let's go, Mike just sat new people in our area."

I followed closely behind Bella back into the dining room. My day got endlessly better this morning when I walked out of the break room and Mike told me I would be shadowing Bella today in the main dining room. A full six hour shift with her; could I have had it any better?

"You know, you could be a little easier on the new guy, it isn't like I've…" I stopped my joking with her when she halted her steps and turned around quickly. I looked down at her and watched her mouth words to herself with her eyes closed as if she were mentally preparing herself for some big challenge.

She stopped and looked up at me. "Ready?"

"Yeah, weirdo, what's the problem? We've only done this twenty times already today."

"Yep, well, this one will be your most memorable." I looked at her like she had two heads before she turned and started toward our next table. I followed her with my eyes and instantly knew what was bothering her. I squinted my eyes in Brooks Brothers' direction and walked up to join Bella at the Cullen table.

"_Bella!_" a high-pitched bird-like voice chirped as a small figure bounced up from the table and hugged Bella. What the hell? Bella looked uncomfortable and awkward but of course smiled brightly and sincerely at the small woman who had her in a bear hug.

I cleared my throat hoping to get this woman to release Bella. It worked, because she immediately pulled away from Bella and looked at me. She watched me for only a few seconds but it felt like an eternity as her piercing blue eyes bore into me. I was beginning to get uncomfortable but then she smiled brightly and began bouncing.

"Belllllaaaaa," she sang, "who's the new hunky dunky?" She asked like I wasn't even standing there.

Bella blushed bright crimson and shyly answered, "Mrs. Whitlock, this is Jacob. He's new on staff and is going to be helping me today." I was about to introduce myself when she held up her hand and looked at me again before looking back at Bella. Then, as though a light bulb went off about that spiky head of hair, she gasped.

"Bella, I've asked you to call me Alice how many times?" the young woman lightly scolded Bella but then kept talking. "I know you are uncomfortable with it at work, but considering all the time we spend together at…"

"Alice!" Bella shouted, obviously attempting to keep her quiet. "I mean Mrs. Whitlock, if you don't mind; I'd rather just keep it professional _here_." The small woman nodded with a knowing smirk and then winked at me before sitting back down at the table behind her. Again, I repeat, _what the hell?_

I looked around at the table in front of me. I of course recognized Mr. and Mrs. Cullen and their spoiled son, but with them today were also two blonde women, beautiful by stereotypical standards but a little too Malibu Barbie if you ask me. Sitting between the blondes was a huge man with dark curly hair and the same blue eyes as the hobbit, who was now getting all handsy with a blonde serious-looking man.

"Good afternoon everyone," Bella started in full waitress mode while I stood there subconsciously scratching my head trying to figure out what was going on around me. "How are you all today?"

"We're great Bella, how have you been? Sorry we missed you last night, you had your hands full huh?" Mr. Cullen said, smiling warmly.

"Yes, sir." Bella turned slightly and looked expectantly at me to move forward. "This is Jacob; he'll be helping me today. Can we get you something to drink while you go through the brunch line?"

"Yes of course, Jacob, you were with Seth last night. Good to see you again." I nodded politely at Mr. Cullen as he continued, "Jacob, you remember our son Edward…this is…" but the douche bag whose hair cut probably cost more than my shoes but looked like a five year old cut it chimed in.

"It's Dr. Cullen, Jacob," he said without once looking my way. Why would he? He was too busy staring at Bella as if no one noticed. I gritted my teeth to suppress the growl that nearly escaped.

"Edward, don't be so pompous," the strawberry-blonde next to him said. "I'm Tanya Cullen, Edward's wife. Nice to meet you, Jacob. I hope we will be seeing you around more." I smiled at her and shook the hand she extended to me.

Edward began his pouting routine again but still wouldn't take his eyes off Bella as I was introduced to Emmett who I learned was Edward and Alice's' brother; Rosalie who was married to Emmett and couldn't be bothered to even speak; and Jasper Whitlock who was married to the small hyper hobbit.

"I don't see why we have to spend so much time getting to know these assholes," I whispered as Bella and I walked to the bar to get a round of Bloody Maries for the table.

"We have to," Bella lectured like I was five. "Because this is a country club, not a restaurant, you will see these people all the time, especially the Cullens. They are in at least twice a week for dinner and then there's golf and brunch."

"Snobs." I sneered with my back leaned up on the bar while Tracy, the bartender, started on our order. I looked around the room at all the people.

"Most of them," Bella turned around to lean with me while scooting so close that I could smell the floral scent of her shampoo and I think my eyes rolled back in my head. She continued on, oblivious to the affect she had on me. "But the Cullens… they are good people Jacob—most of them anyway, so please, for me. Just try."

"For you," I leaned down to whisper in her ear, "anything." I could have sworn her body shivered as my breath caressed her ear which made me smile. "What's with them anyway? So odd."

"Well, Alice, she's a ball of energy, which is hilarious considering she married the most laid back and boring man in the free world. I mean he teaches _history_ for crying out loud. But I guess they balance each other." She chuckled lightly, "And Emmett, well he's just a teddy bear. His wife has…issues…but her standoff demeanor is just a protective cover I think."

"You really know them well," I said interrupting.

"Yeah, well, like I said, regulars."

"So you don't know them, you know, outside of this place? Alice made it seem like she and you…"

"No! I mean, yeah." She sighed placing the glasses on the tray but I quickly moved to carry it for her which made her smile. "Alice and I have met other places."

There was a sudden flash of pain in Bella's eyes and I knew I was pushing her too far. I had to remember what Seth said and take things slow with her. I already knew Bella would be something special in my life and I didn't want to do anything to jeopardize that.

The rest of our shift sped on without much excitement and before I knew it, it was three o'clock and we were finally breaking down the buffet and getting the dining room ready for those that had to stick around to work the dinner shift. I was carrying an arm full of dirty tablecloths back to the laundry bins just as a khaki-clad Edward Cullen came out of the men's grill.

"Ah, Jacob, is it?" he said expectantly.

"Yes, Dr. Cullen," I sneered out through tight lips.

"Yeah, Jacob, my wife is up in the ladies' locker room getting ready for our round of golf. I was wondering if you could tell me where Bella might be." Are you kidding me?

"No."

"Excuse me?" he asked incredulously.

"I said no, sir, I cannot tell you where Bella is, but I can tell you that your wife could be down any minute."

"Listen kid," he raised his voice and his finger, what a fucking prick. "I didn't ask you about my wife and I will remind you of your place around here before you take that tone with me again. One word from me and you'll be out on your ass."

"Jake." Edward and I both turned quickly to see Seth standing there eyeing us cautiously. "Everything okay, Dr. Cullen?"

"Of course Seth, just letting the new guy know how things work around here. Right Jacob?" He and I held our stare at each other, neither willing to back down.

"Right. Well. Jake, let's get going. We might get home in time to see the end of the baseball game," Seth said, trying to diffuse the situation. I broke my stare down with Edward and walked into the kitchen with Seth hot on my heels.

"Jake, you asshole, do you realize you almost got fired out there?"

"I don't care Seth, that guy is a prick. And I don't like the way he looks at Bella. I know she said he's harmless but I don't trust him."

"I know man, but you can't keep pushing. Bella, well she… Just trust her, okay? She needs to keep peace with the Cullens, and she has her reasons for putting up with Edward." We had dumped the laundry and were now getting our shit to clock out.

"What the hell does that even mean Seth? You're my fucking friend, and I feel like you know a lot about her that you aren't telling me."

"About whom?" We both snapped our heads to see that Bella had come in the break room without us hearing her.

"Uh... Uh." Well Seth was no help. Dumbass.

"Oh, just some girl Seth likes," I tried to cover but the smirk on Bella's face told me she didn't buy it. Thankfully she didn't call me out because I don't think I would have been able to lie to her again.

"Right, well, you guys leaving?" Bella sat down at our table with a small lunch cooler.

"Yep, you got the dinner shift huh? That sucks," Seth joshed her making fun a little.

"Yeah, well some of us have bills to pay and tuition coming up in a few weeks. We aren't all brainy enough to get scholarships," Bella teased him back making him blush. Seth knew he was smart; hell the kid was a genius, but he still felt uncomfortable with people making any sort of fuss over him.

"Whatever Hells Bells, we'll see you Tuesday right?" She nodded.

"You aren't working tomorrow?" I asked with disappointment in my voice.

"Aw, don't worry Jacob, I'll be here Tuesday. Mondays are always my day off. Try not to miss me too much." Then she winked at me for the second time before turning to dig into her lunch.

"Well, can't promise I won't, guess I'll just have to meet you in my dreams." Yeah I was laying it on thick but I couldn't let her get the leg up on me.

"I, um." She stuttered trying to find words as I laughed and patted Seth on the back signally for us to go.

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there you have it. feel free to ask me any questions you may have...i hope you aren't confused yet. lol.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks to everyone who is reading and reviewing. This chapter is Jacob-centric and gives you some back story into his life. For those of you curious this story is going to be strictly a Jacob POV and you'll learn Bella's story as he does so be patient with me lol.

Sorry the update took so long and it will probably be another week or two before the next update. Our website is having a contest next week and I know it's going to be crazy for me time wise. so hang in there with me. lol

thanks always to my master-beta (hahaha) Neutron Phantom for her love and support!

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**Table for Two: Chapter 3**

"GET HIM! Now, there behind that tree. DAMMIT SETH!"

"_Me_? You left my blind side wide open; you were supposed to be my back up! What the hell?!"

Seth and I scowled at each other as both halves of our fifty-four inch screen turned red, indicating we'd both just been killed by enemy zombies and their stupid dogs. "You suck," I sneered as I threw the controller down and stomped into the kitchen to grab a soda.

"Fuck you, your aim is shit-tastic," Seth pouted as he leaned over the game console to switch out Modern Warfare for Madden Football. Yeah, we were big swinging bachelors on a Monday afternoon playing video games, but hey, classes would start soon enough and there would be no time for this shit.

I smirked as our next argument over who was going to be the Seahawks began. I don't think that the two of us could ever manage playing video games without fighting with each other. About half way through the second quarter my cell phone started buzzing.

"Hello?" I asked, irritated as I shoved it up under my chin and pinched it with my shoulder trying to hold it in place so I could still play my game.

"Hey Son," my dad said with a laugh in his voice. Damnit, I should have looked at the caller ID.

"Oh, hey Pops. Sorry, I didn't know it was you."

"That's alright kid, am I interrupting anything important?" Always being too concerned that he was imposing on me pissed me off, nothing was too important for him.

"Naw, just kicking Seth's ass… Run, run you little video game monkey… Aw SHIT!" Seth's defense slammed into my player cutting off his touchdown run.

"I would run Son, but the legs… they just don't want to!" He was now in full on laugh mode.

"Funny Old Man. Just a sec," I paused the game and motioned with my finger for Seth to hold on. He nodded and then got up to run to the bathroom. "Alright Pops, what's up?"

"Not much, just checking in. Did you get all registered for classes?"

"Yep," I said running my hand over my face, "got set up on Friday. A few more weeks of freedom and it starts."

"Good, good, and the job? First week went well?"

"Yes Dad, and just like I told you on Thursday, it's been nice. I should be able to make enough money to pay for school and rent." It was no secret that money was not a luxury for us. Hell, no one on the reservation was rolling in it, but with Dad on disability it was always a struggle. It was a good thing that I was able to get so much financial aid.

"Alright, well you'll tell me if I can help, I can always see what I can do." I nodded silently.

"I know Pops, I know," I sighed, still trying to read his tone. I knew there was something he wanted to say but I was going to have to weed it out of him. "What about you, what's new?"

"Not much, same old." Yeah right.

"Well, I have the next three days off, I was thinking about coming home to see you." If he wasn't going to tell me what he needed then I was going to figure it out one way or another.

"Oh," he said, sounding very excited. "Well that's good to hear. I miss you, you little shit. Too quiet around here without you causing trouble," he laughed, knowing very well that the only trouble I ever got into was in the seventh grade when Quil, Embry and I decided to skip school to go to the beach.

"Well, then I'll see you tomorrow? Oh, and maybe Wednesday you could tag along with me to my appointment, if you want." And there it was, his monthly check up, the first one since I'd moved out and he was scared to go alone.

"Sure Pops, I'll take you. Talk to you tomorrow morning okay?"

"Yeah kiddo, see you." We both hung up, knowing we didn't need to say that 'love you' shit to each other; that was a given with us.

"So… going home tomorrow?" Seth asked, standing in the archway to the kitchen.

"Yeah, Dad's got an appointment and I don't think he wanted to go alone." A silent nod of understanding from Seth and a short glimpse of pity in his eyes was all it took to put me in a sour mood. I hated that look, especially from my friends. My life was what it was and it was a good life: a happy childhood, I was loved and fed, and yeah, I had to deal with shit but everyone does.

"Game?" I asked not feeling like talking about this shit anymore.

"Sure, but watch out because I was just getting warmed up that first half. Third quarter I'm going to make you my bitch."

And that is why everyone loved Seth. He was a good kid from a good family; he was there when you needed him and knew when you needed space or quiet and would always find some way to get you to focus on something else.

Seth and I didn't become friends easily though. He was always the young kid following us around like a pet. He was more annoying than anything but my dad always made us include him, told me one day I'd appreciate the kind of loyalty and free nature that he embodied.

So when I was sixteen and he was fourteen and I watched him try to kick the ass of nineteen-year-old Sam Uley who had just dumped his sister, I finally gave up pretending that he was just a gnat sent here to annoy me. He was a decent guy, so like friends should, me and the guys jumped into the fight and collectively got our asses kicked by Sam and his gang.

"What's with the smirk?" Seth asked, breaking my daydream.

"Oh, just thinking about the Memorial Day picnic," I eyed him mischievously and he cracked up.

"Yeah, my jaw still clicks when I chew," he joked popping his jaw for affect. "That ass and his worshippers fucked us up good that day."

"Ass huh? That's no way to talk about your brother-in-law. What would Leah say if I called her right now and…" I pulled out my phone pretending to dial, knowing full well I had no intention of calling that bitch or her douche bag husband. The two of them were made for each other, though I feared the beginning of the apocalypse when they finally produced a devil spawn.

"Screw her, I take an ass kicking of epic proportion and six months later she's engaged to the bastard? If only the last five years had made either of them older or wiser. I'd swear that if my mom wasn't such a good woman that Leah came from the milkman. No way she and I share DNA."

I laughed heartily completely agreeing with him on all accounts.

~~**~~

I woke up early to get a head start. I knew if I didn't get my ass moving I would sleep all day. Work Monday night was boring – well not _boring_, just the same as every day before, except for Saturday and Sunday. Yeah, it was because Bella wasn't there. I sat in the break room at our table, still not willing to venture outside with the other staff. I wasn't even supposed to know about the outside break area yet but Bella told me anyway.

A smile spread across my face as I thought about her. I realized I was passing through Forks already, half way home. I looked around the small town as I passed through, driving extra slow. I don't know if I was expecting to see her or what, but I was watching everything and everyone. I wondered where she lived, what she did in this boring town when she wasn't working, and I wondered if she thought about me at all.

I had no idea what it was about her that made me feel this way, whatever "this way" was. I was taken with her simple, natural beauty. I was amazed by her laid-back personality that didn't seem to get flustered even under the busiest of restaurant chaos. But mostly I was drawn in, drawn in to the mystery in her presence, I wanted to get to know her, to find out what her secrets were, wanted to break her out of that walled-in jail she built around herself.

I sighed audibly as I left Forks' city limits and pushed on toward home. It wasn't long before I was passing through town and turning up the small alley of a street to my house. I hadn't been home to see Pops since I moved to Port Angeles three weeks ago. It was strange, not seeing him every day. I worried about him a lot; how was he getting around? Was he taking care of himself? Guess that happens when you become the man of the house at fourteen.

"Hey Old Man, where are you?" I asked, entering the front door of our small single-level home. It wasn't much, but it was ours. I put my bag down by the front door and looked around the living room. Wood paneling graced every inch of wall space—but not that you could tell, because nearly every surface of usable wall was covered with mounted fish or old school pictures of my and my sisters. I sighed while brushing my finger across one; I was going to have to dust while I was here.

I stared at the senior picture Rachel and Rebecca took together. I was only fifteen when they both graduated…and ran. I scowled at the thought. Six years hadn't fixed anything for me. I know they were escaping for their own sanity, but to me, they bailed on my dad and I when we needed them most.

"You know, one of these days you'll understand why they left." I turned to see my dad sitting in the entryway to the kitchen. I smiled involuntarily. He looked older to me now, as if being away I was able to finally see what his illness was doing to his body.

"I don't think so Pops." I bound over to him, giving him the manliest hug a twenty-one-year-old can give his father. "But we aren't going to talk about that now." I effectively ended that line of conversation that always ended with me screaming at my father about the girls being ungrateful. Maybe I was just jealous that I wasn't old enough to get out when they did, that I had to stay. I don't begrudge the fact, but sometimes I do wonder how things would have been different.

I spent the rest of the day and night helping around the house. I ran to the grocery store because Old Mother Hubbard had nothing on my dad. I helped clean, and I made us dinner. After saying good night I lay on the couch flipping through all four channels we had, trying to sleep and cursing the fact that I took my bed with me when I moved out.

~~**~~

"I met a cool guy at group a few weeks ago," Pops, said staring out the window trying to pretend he wasn't nervous about his appointment. I kept looking straight ahead. Somehow he was more worried than usual and it got me on edge.

"Yeah? That's cool. You need more friends, I was afraid you were creeping up on hermit status."

"Smart ass kid, no respect." We both laughed and were silent most the way to Forks Community Hospital. "He's from here. Forks," he said, finally breaking the silence.

"Huh. What happened to him, why's he in group?"

"Work accident," was all he said. Dad hated talking about other people in his therapy group, like it was breaking some code or something. "We went fishing last week, down on the pier," he said nonchalantly, but I could see the spark in his eye.

"Good, now I won't worry so much," and that was the end of the conversation as I pushed him into the doctor's office. We were men of little words when it came to talking about that stuff, but we understood each other.

"Hey Doc," I said as Dr. Marks greeted us in the waiting area.

"Jake! Glad to see you could make it," he said holding the door open as I rolled my dad into the exam room.

"So Billy, I wanted to talk to you about your latest blood tests. It looks like your insulin is up again and staying up. I don't think this is something your diet can control anymore, so I'd like to start upping your meds, maybe even consider moving on to daily injections."

I blanched, my face draining of all blood. Shots? That had to mean the diabetes was getting worse. We knew that this day would come, where diet and pills weren't enough, but hearing it out loud just seemed surreal. And now he was going to have to endure daily shots just to keep his insulin in check?

I don't know how much time had passed or what all was said after that. It was all a haze. I knew it didn't necessarily mean his health was deteriorating; people lived with diabetes every day. But these people weren't my dad… They didn't have the added burden of being in a wheelchair. They had people to take care of them.

We left the doctor's office in silence and began our long drive back to La Push.

"Jake, Jake… I know what you're thinking." I scoffed at my dad and gripped the steering wheel even harder. " It's really not that bad. I've already talked to Sue about this."

"You knew this was coming? You knew you were getting sicker and you didn't tell me?"

He sighed loudly, "Jake, you wouldn't have left. I can handle this."

"Of course I wouldn't have left, I should come back."

"No! Jacob Black, you listen to me. You deserve a chance at life. You need to live for yourself for once. For the last six years you've taken care of yourself, of the house, of me. It wasn't fair to you. It's not what your mother would have wanted."

"She wouldn't want you alone," I growled out at him.

"I'm not alone kiddo, I've got Sue and Harry. I've got grouchy old Quil coming to check on me. And now I've got Charlie. Believe it or not, helping him adjust to his new life has been like an awakening for me too."

"I wish you still had mom," I said but immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry dad, I didn't mean…"

"I know Son, I know."

We didn't say anything the rest of the way home. I know we were both replaying the day that dad's diabetes got the best of him and his insulin-induced seizure caused the car accident that killed my mother. It was what put him in that chair for the rest of his life. And now, it was the disease that was slowly taking his health.

The rest of my time home was spent helping dad learn to use his new medication. We practiced giving oranges shots until our hands cramped. I went over all of the medicine lists. I called Sue Clearwater, since she was a nurse and his therapist, to fill her in on everything. She got dad a medical alert necklace in case anything ever happened to him.

I packed up late Thursday night to head back to Port Angeles. "I don't have to go," I said, placing my bag back at the front door.

"You do Son, you've got a life to get back to. Promise me you won't worry about your old man okay? You deserve this Jake, don't let anyone tell you any different."

"Sure, sure," I nodded and gave him one last quick hug. Driving back to Port Angeles, I thought about everything that happened and two things became clear to me. One, my dad's health was fading and fast. And two, he pushed me to go to school and get out so he could see me live my life and be happy for once, and damnit that's just what I was going to do.

By the time I got back to our apartment it was nearly ten and I figured Seth should be home from work by now unless the bus ran late again. I quickly ran up the steps to our second floor apartment. I was in a good mood again—tired and emotionally drained, but glad that I was coming to terms with leaving my dad behind to fend for himself.

I had a new lease on life. I was going to live every day like I was dying. And not just for me, for my dad too. It's what he wanted, and it's what my mom would have wanted. I clanked through the door and threw my bag down the hall. I heard the TV on and video games blasting.

"Hey man, what's—" I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Bella? What are you doing here?"

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Just some extra notes for you all. First...review button is right down there in case you didn't know... second, a few of my stories are up for some awards so checkie check my profile for info!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N I own nothing...do we really have to put that every time? okay but I don't...I do have Jacob locked in my closet though...FYI.

Here's the nextie chapter...der...thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing. self conscious writers love reviews...so do egomaniacs lol.

thanks again to Neutron Phantom for being awesomely awesome and asking for beta'ing...got me writing faster lol xxoo

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**Table for Two**

_Last time: _

_I had a new lease on life. I was going to live every day like I was dying. And not just for me, for my dad too. It's what he wanted, and it's what my mom would have wanted. I clanked through the door and threw my bag down the hall. I heard the TV on and video games blasting._

_"Hey man, what's—" I stopped dead in my tracks._

_"Bella? What are you doing here?"_

_._

**Chapter 4**

"Bella, what are you doing here?" I repeated, still thoroughly confused as to why Bella would be in my living room at 10 PM on a Thursday night.

"Hey Jake, I didn't think you'd be back until tomorrow. How'd everything go?" Seth shot up with a stupid grin on his face, oblivious to the fact that I was really confused. Sure, it was nothing for him to have my…to have Bella over, it happened all the time.

"Uh, um, yeah," I said, not moving my eyes from Bella, who was still sitting on the futon playing with a video game controller like it was the most interesting thing in the world, "things were good. I can fill you in later." Then I shot him a look that said I didn't want to talk about it in front of Bella.

"Sure, sure," he nodded, and sat back down to resume his game.

"So…" I drew out, waiting for someone to tell me what the hell was going on. "What's up Bella?"

She snapped her head up, and that crimson color flooded her face as she smiled at me. I gave her a smirk back and moved to sit on the futon between the two of them. When I sat down my hand accidently brushed up against Bella's arm and I felt that connection—that _tingle_, and by the small gasp that escaped her lips I could tell she felt it too.

I leaned back against the couch but didn't take my eyes off her. "What did you say you were doing here?"

"I was leaving the club the same time Seth was, so I offered him a ride so he didn't have to wait for the bus," she said matter-of-factly, looking up at me with her big doe eyes. "And then," she laughed and leaned around me to look at Seth, "he had the nerve to doubt my skills at Super Mario Brothers."

"Yeah man, she kicked my ass!" Seth laughed, pointing to the screen where the Wii was sitting on pause.

"_Never_ doubt my skills," she said before laughing, setting the controller down. "Age has its benefits, I've been playing this game since the first Nintendo came out." She leaned against me, laughing at her own joke, but quickly pulled away again when she realized what she was doing. I smiled down at her big and goofy. I wish she'd let herself relax more often, it was nice to see her so unguarded.

"Sorry," she said meekly, looking everywhere but at me.

I leaned down so that my lips were against her ear and replied, "No problem." Then I pulled back to see Seth staring at us. I know I told Seth—hell, I told _myself_ that I would be Bella's friend and _only _her friend, but I couldn't help but flirt with her when she was around. And it wasn't some sort of guy testosterone thing; it was as natural as breathing for me to act like this with her.

"Well, I guess I should get going." Bella stood from the couch. "Seth, thanks for the game, it was fun. I guess I'll see you both at work tomorrow night." Seth and I both stood up, being the gentlemen that we were raised to be and Seth grabbed her coat for her.

"You can stay, don't let me run you off," I half-joked, wondering why she didn't want to stick around now that I was home. I wanted her to stay, to get to know her outside of work; I wanted to see her let her guard down.

"Naw, I shouldn't have stayed this long, I have to get home to…I've got some things to do." And secretive Bella was back. I frowned involuntarily, but not because she was leaving. I was pouting, but only because I didn't like this side of Bella. I wanted to know everything about her, the good and the bad. I realize my hypocritical thoughts here; I wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to tell Bella about the "poor Jake" parts of my life, just like she wasn't telling me hers.

"Well, if you're going to pout I'll give you a rain check and come back some time to school your ass at Mario too."

"Sister please," I goaded back. "You may have been playing longer than me, but my skills are legendary." I puffed my chest out as I opened the apartment door for her. She turned to wave goodbye to Seth and he nodded then looked at me expectantly while I help up one finger to him. As she walked out the door I followed closely just to have her turn and slam into me.

"Umph," came out of her mouth when she slammed into me and I reached out to grab her as she fell backward slightly. My arm lingered around her small waist longer than necessary, feeling the warmth of her body so close. She cleared her throat and it was my turn to blush as I released her.

"I was just going to say goodbye." She looked up at me and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I'm walking you to your car."

"Jacob, you don't have to…."

"Just walk, woman," I joked and twirled my hand in a circle motion to get her to turn around and start walking. Bella playfully scowled at me but turned and started down the hallway of my apartment complex to the stairs.

We walked across the complex's parking lot toward her beat up old truck. I had my hands shoved in my pockets and she was clinging to her purse. It was a comfortably awkward silence for us, if that makes sense. It was a thing with us, to be completely comfortable with each other one minute and searching for conversation the next.

"So, work went well this week?" I asked, turning slightly toward her, hands still stuffed in my jeans.

"Yeah, nothing exciting. You must have had a nice time though, Seth said you went home to see your dad?" I wondered if she had been asking about me or if Chatty Cathy upstairs had just volunteered the information.

"Yeah," I nodded, "it was good to see him. He's getting old though you know. Don't think I really realized it when I got to see him every day."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Bella answered, reaching for her door handle at the same time I did, then she rolled her eyes. "Are you always so gentlemanly Jacob Black? I don't think I've met many guys my age with as many manners."

I laughed loudly as she climbed inside. "I thought I told you not to focus on age so much Bella, it takes the fun out of things." I shut her door for her and rested my forearms on the open window of her truck.

"Life isn't all fun, Mr. College Guy." She was joking with me, but the distance in her eyes told me she was thinking about something; she was _always_ thinking about something.

"You know what though Bella?" She looked up and brought herself back into the conversation. "Being home with my dad, I learned that even though life isn't always fun, you shouldn't stop living it."

"Ha, you sound like _my_ dad now, but you might be on to something," she said after a long pause.

"Yeah?" I asked and she laughed at me.

"Yeah!"

"Then you let me know when you're ready to live, and we'll go raise some hell."

"I may just have to take you up on that offer," she replied, for once stunning me in silence. Did I just ask her out? Did she just accept? Or was this just two friends making plans?

The roar of her engine awoke me from my reverie and I reached through the window and pulled her seatbelt out and wrapped it around her buckling her in. "Safety first though Bella, need to keep you in one piece."

She bit at her bottom lip and let out a small thank you while she thumbed at a loose piece of leather on her steering wheel. I grinned again as I pulled away from her truck and waved slightly before watching her pull out of the parking lot.

When I made my way back into the apartment I could hear the shower running, meaning Seth was finally cleaning up after work. I sat down on the couch and rolled my head back against the back of the couch. I closed my eyes and smiled. It had been a really tough three days at home, but it ended very well.

I knew my dad was sick and I knew it was getting worse, but there was nothing we could do about it. We would make sure he took his meds and watched his diet, but in the end it was beyond our control. What wasn't in our control was the fact that my dad was ready to see me live. He had given me the out I wanted six years ago, only this time I felt good about wanting it.

Then there was Bella, my enigma wrapped in a puzzle. I know she must feel a connection to me, but what I don't get is why she builds these walls around her. One thing is for sure though: if I'm going to make the most out of my one trip on Earth, I was going to show her how to live again too, for however long she'd let me.

"You look all constipated, so either Billy made you eat a lot of cheese or you're thinking about something," Seth snickered walking out of the bathroom in sweatpants and a towel on his head.

"Seriously you asshole, poop jokes? What are you, twelve?" I cracked one eye open to see him flipping me off and I smirked.

"Come on man," I felt him flop down next to me, "spill. You just spent three days taking care of your pops, who according to my mom is not doing so hot, but you come in here like someone gave you a new toy for Christmas."

"First of all, your mom should obey the hippo or herpie or whatever the fuck law it is that says nurses don't talk about their patients." He just shrugged. "Second, yeah it was pretty weird."

I spent the next half hour spilling everything from what the docs said to my dad getting worse. We talked about the conversation my dad and I had about me not feeling guilty about living my life for once. Seth was a pretty cool kid; we were almost like brothers now and I liked that.

"Thanks for listening man," I finally said worn out from a long three days and tired of being all emo over shit.

"No prob." He looked around shifty-eyed before turning back to me, "Should we like hug or some shit?"

"Very funny douche bag," I said, lifting my hands to block any advance he might have thought about trying, "you stay the fuck on your end of the couch." We both had a good laugh and then called it a night.

Before I shut my door I shouted out, "Hey, you never did tell me what makes you and Bella so chummy chummy. It's good to see though."

"Yeah, well, don't be jealous just because your girlfriend likes me more than you," he quipped back before shutting his door. I shook my head and chuckled to myself.

~~**~~

Friday nights at the club meant hell on Earth for the wait staff. People would come out early for early bird—or old bird, as Seth called them—specials. People would come out early because they had some show to go to or some paintings to see or whatever else rich people did on Friday nights. And people would come in late, having done said shows or openings or hob knobbing and want to eat. Basically we stayed busy from open to close.

I was working the men's grill again, but this time I was with Eric, Seth having gotten stuck in the main dining room. Eric was a nice guy, a few years older than me and about to start his last year in college. He talked too much, but I got to hear a lot of gossip about the members of the club and the employees here.

I found out that he was dating Angela who was the bartender and was just about the only person besides Seth that Bella would talk to. I tried to play off nonchalantly but every time Bella's name was brought up I perked up a little bit more. I swear, if he wasn't so busy talking he would have noticed.

I also found out that all of the girls, aside from Angela and Bella (he made a point to mention that), who worked with us, whether they were single or not were vying for attention from me. Apparently I don't do well with the obvious either. I mean, none of them ever really talked to me. But I listened to Eric go on and on and secretly wished that the one girl not on his list would notice me too.

"But Jessica, man, you gotta watch out for her. She's a vulture," Eric said and I quickly tried to recall what he'd been saying. Jessica, my age, big hair, fake nails, she looked like large bird of prey.

"Yeah, thanks for the heads up on her, definitely going to stay away. So they all seem to hang out together, I mean outside of work too, except Bella? That's weird." Yeah I was hedging, can you blame a guy? I mean my own best friend was giving me nothing!

"Yeah, Bella… she and Jessica don't really get along." He looked around quickly like he was waiting for someone to catch him so I involuntarily leaned in closer as we sat on the edge of the bar. "One night, after dinner, Jessica sort of caught Bella and Dr. Cullen together." Eric stopped talking and just looked at me waiting for me to comprehend.

"Un uh, Bella hates Dr. Cullen," I defended, feeling slightly agitated at his assumptions.

"Well, you know that and I know that, but Jessica didn't care. She thought she walked in on something because it's no secret how he goes after her. Well… Jessica called Bella a gold digging old hag and Bella called Jessica a childish bitch, yada yada. And then, that's when Jessica dumped a drink from the bar on Bella and Mike and Seth intervened. "

I sat there, stunned for a few minutes while Eric went on to tend to the bloated whales sitting around the grill. I laughed at the thought of quiet Bella giving anyone a piece of her mind, but I knew the fire was in her. I was angry again at the good doctor for whatever it was he was doing to Bella that made people jump to conclusions and I hated Jessica for being such a…a…drama llama.

Eric came back over to the bar. "It's all good now though. They avoid each other like the plague; Bella keeps to herself hiding out in the break room and Jessica, well, I guess she really hasn't changed. Though she wants you and the fact that you hide out with Bella is really going to start pissing her off." He laughed at himself and turned to talk to Angela who was pouring his drinks.

~~**~~

"Is this seat taken?" I asked, walking over to our table to find a very worn out looking Bella. She smiled up at me and slid her legs off the chair across from her and pushed it out with her foot.

"Tough night?"

"You have no idea," she said, rubbing her eyes with the palms of her hands. "Must be nice to sit in guy heaven back there instead of out here busting your ass with the rest of us."

"Hey, I'll have you know that those guys can eat and drink their weight, it's not all fun and games. Here," I said motioning toward her feet, "put them back up here," I patted my thigh.

"I'm fine Jacob, I'm not going to put my stinky work feet on you." She laughed and shook her head so I reached down and grabbed them myself.

"There, see, no problem. But I'm not rubbing them, after all, they do stink." I plugged my nose just to have her shove one of her feet into my side. We sat there for a while, folding napkins for the next day and chatting about what went on that night.

"Hey Bella," I stopped what I was doing and looked up at her. "Lets go do something."

"Now?!" she asked like I was crazy.

"No, doof, like Sunday after brunch or Monday since we both have Monday off. Lets go do something. I'm sick of just going from work to home and home to work."

"Jacob, I don't know…" She had stopped what she was doing and was now picking at the chipping table top, a habit I noticed she does when she's nervous.

"Bella, we're friends right?" She nodded her head. "Okay, well friends hang out, outside of work."

"Jacob, I just don't want you to think… I do I really like you, Jacob but I don't have friends, really." She shrugged dismissively.

"You have Seth and Angela right? Well there's always room for one more. And I mean it Bella, just friends, just let me get to know you." I started folding napkins again, worried that I pushed too far too fast. Minutes passed and she hadn't said anything.

"Alright," she said suddenly, and I snapped my head up.

"Alright?"

"Yeah, alright, lets go 'raise some hell'." She laughed as she threw my words from the night before back at me. I nodded and we continued our work in silence.

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I like it when you click right thur, down thur...and leave reviews lol


	5. Chapter 5

A/N...I own nothing..yada yada yada...

Thanks to everyone for your positive reviews and happy thoughts. I'm glad you're liking Bella and Jakey! As always the fabulous Neutron Phantom did a bang up job beta'ing xxoo.

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**Table For Two **

**Chapter 5**

Saturday at the club passed in much the same fashion as Friday, except that there was a wedding reception in the main ballroom, making our already busy staff twice as busy. And for me, that meant moving from the members' dining rooms to the banquet hall to help with the reception.

In a way, banquet work was easier than the waiting tables, but it was also a constant on your feet, clear the tables, fill the waters type of job. And it always lasted well into the night. As long as the party was going, we were there. Around eleven, Seth came to find me to tell me he was going to catch a ride with Bella rather than wait around for me.

That was another thing about banquet work: I didn't get to see Bella at all. But I knew we'd both be working brunch the next morning, so at one a.m. I dragged myself home to shower and fall immediately to sleep. This waitering job was the pits sometimes.

Seth had somehow managed a Sunday off, so the next morning while he slept in I secretly plotted his death and got ready for work. I may have stomped around the house a little louder than normal, but who's to say. I stomped into the bathroom and I stomped into the kitchen, earning a _shut the hell up_, and then I stomped out the door to head to work.

When I got there, I grabbed some employee breakfast and went to the break room to eat before shift. I found Bella sitting there with Angela whispering about something. I cleared my throat so that they knew I was there and didn't think I was eavesdropping. Angela giggled and got up, passing by me and winking.

I furrowed my brow and looked at Bella who was, of course, blushing, but she carried on as if nothing was up. I wonder if she even knew when she was blushing; it certainly gave her away every time. I made my way to our table to sit down and Bella held up two thermoses.

"I thought that after last night you might be able to use your own," she said as if it was nothing. As if anyone would have been so considerate and thoughtful. I was starting to put together the puzzle that was Bella Swan and I just got another piece: even when she tried to keep people at a distance, her caring nature came out.

"You didn't have to, but thank you." I took a big gulp of the caffeinated concoction that I so desperately needed.

"No problem. I remember what it's like working banquets and getting up the next morning for brunch. At least wedding season is dying down a little. You should have been here in May and June."

"No thanks, I'm glad September is only a few weeks away. I don't know if I could do this every weekend and school during the week. You want some?" I asked pushing my pancakes toward her, but she shook her head no and I continued eating.

We didn't talk about the deal we made Friday night and I wondered if she meant what she said, but I decided with Bella, it was better not to push. So, I finished up breakfast and we walked out into the main dining room together for pre-shift and to get our work assignments.

I couldn't help but notice that ever since Eric mentioned it, some of the girls on the staff watched me, like all the time. And yet none of them talked to me. It was sort of creepy. I took a seat next to Tyler who seemed to be a pretty cool guy. He hung with Eric so I assumed he was good people; we started to talk about baseball and preseason football, easily chatting it up.

I felt a small tap on my shoulder and turned, expecting that Bella sat at the table behind me. But instead I was met with beady green eyes and orange skin. Vulture alert! "Hi, I'm Jessica, we haven't really gotten to meet officially."

She looked at me expectantly so I smiled slightly at her. "Nice to meet you Jessica, I'm Jacob, but everyone calls me Jake." Well not _everyone._ I scanned the room to find Bella sitting with Eric and Angela.

"Okay Jake, well officially, welcome to the club," she said, and then she moved her hand to my thigh and squeezed it. "I can't wait to get to know you." She was trying to be seductive, but I was holding back the laughter well and the vomit at the thought of her touching me. I nodded at her and turned around as Mike came in the room to give us our assignments.

"Alright everyone, we've got a big brunch today. The Ladies' Golf League is hosting their end of season wrap-up, which means they'll all be in the main ballroom. Jessica, Eric, Nancy and Jacob, you've got the ballroom. Bella and Lauren, you two have main dining hall and Tyler, you've got Men's Grill. Alright everyone lets do this."

UGH! You've got to be kidding me, another banquet function? Full of old, rich ladies to boot. Oh well, at least Eric was going to be with me, but so was the vulture. I huffed out a breath and stood to go follow the others into the hall to finish set up when I felt a small hand grab my elbow. Not again, please.

"Hang in there, at least it's all the 'ladies'. They'll all try and be dainty around each other and won't eat." Bella smiled up at me, somehow knowing that I was pissy about work. "Although," she started laughing, "there may not be a drop of Bloody Mary mix left in the county by noon." She laughed again, this time snorting, causing me to laugh right along with her and instantly my mood was lifted.

Two hours and about eight hundred Bloody Marys later, I was carrying a tray of dirty plates back into the kitchen when I passed by the members' dining room. I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw Bella waiting on the Cullen men, all of whom were dressed and ready for golf. I felt my body stiffen and my fists clench when Edward leaned over to grab her by the arm so he could pull her down and whisper something in her ear.

At that point, I'd say the gods were on his side because if I didn't have a tray full of dirty dished I may have marched right over there. I went into the kitchen to set the tray down and try to calm down but it did little good because I turned right around and came back out, ready to intervene but I was stopped by a hobbit.

"Jacob," the tinkle of bells chimed in her voice, "we're getting ready to start the speeches. Do you think you could find us the microphone?" She was all smiles.

"Of course, Mrs. Whitlock." I chanced a quick glance toward Bella to make sure she was okay and the hobbit noticed.

"You know how they say you can't pick your family?" Alice asked and I turned to face her to find her staring at the same table. "Well sometimes I wish you could trade in for a better model." Then as if realizing she just said she wished Edward wasn't her brother she continued, "But he's not all bad really, what do they say about zebras not changing their spots? Edward always wants what he can't have."

"And Mrs. Cullen?" Alice was nice enough, but what was it about these rich people turning a blind eye to what they know to be wrong?

"Mrs. Cullen has known her husband since they were children. Their marriage was expected. She enjoys being Mrs. Cullen," Alice sighed in disappointment. "But no one wants to be treated like that." And I didn't know if she was talking about Bella or Tanya. I had a sneaking suspicion it was both.

"So," she turned and plastered a big smile on her face, "microphone?"

"Of course ma'am, right away." As I turned to leave she stopped me.

"Bella is a good person, you just have to give her time," she said and turned and walked away, but not before giving me that all-knowing wink she gave me the night we met. What the hell was with that strange little woman?

After another three hours of Mimosa and Bloody Marys, the drunken women of Port Angeles Country Club went to play their Sunday golf and I was exhausted and ready to sleep for days. I sat down at one of the newly cleared tables to take a break and quickly had company.

"Hey Jake," I looked up from table that I was leaning against.

"Hey Jessica, it's been a long day," a_nd I'm really not in the mood_, I finished the thought in my head.

"Yeah, you get used to the madness I guess. I'm just glad I only work weekends; I have all week to recover. Especially when classes start again, you're going to be part time too right?"

"Naw, I kind of have to work," I finally took the chance to look over Jessica Stanley, with her fake tan and designer shoes, nails perfectly manicured. She didn't need this job like I did.

"Yeah, Daddy said I couldn't keep my car and my apartment if I didn't work, and Lord knows I wasn't living in the dorms _or_ giving up my baby."

"Right, that would…I don't know, suck." Give me a fucking break.

"Exactly," she said, smiling at me. She had no clue that I could care less if she didn't get to keep her fancy car. "So, you should hang out with us sometime. I mean, Seth never does, but he's a little younger than the rest of us, but you should. We party all the time."

"Eh, I'm not really the party kind of person, Jessica." That wasn't exactly true, but I preferred the company of people more real.

"Aw, you'd rather hang with the kids and the old sticks in the mud?" She laughed, but it was more like a cackle.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked, a little tired of her, and I knew what she was talking about and it pissed me off.

"Oh," she looked surprised at my anger, "I didn't mean anything by it Jake, and I just meant, you know, you're young, you're about to start school; why do you waste your time with a lifer like Bella?"

"Lifer?"

"Yeah, you know, like Nancy," and she pointed to the woman across the room clearing glasses, I didn't know Nancy but I'd been told she'd been here nearly twenty years. "In ten years you'll be out of school, you'll have a great job and well, Bella will still be waiting tables and living with her dad. Just think about it Jake," she got up to walk away but not before handing me a slip of paper, I quickly opened it and saw it was her phone number.

I watched her walk out while everything set in. She really was a bitch; I didn't trust a word she said. But she'd worked here the longest, and she probably knew a lot of things about people. Did Bella really still live with her father, at almost thirty years old? And what did she mean, 'lifer'? Why would that matter what a person does for a living anyway, I mean the only jobs on the rez were blue collar and we're all good people.

I shot out of my seat and jogged to catch up with her right before she got to the kitchen. "Hey Jessica!" She turned around with a big smile on her face, which faded quickly when she saw my face. "I just wanted to give you this," I handed back the slip of paper. "You see, my mom, she worked in the cafeteria as school. I also don't have a daddy to pay my way, and I just don't think we have anything in common."

I walked away, leaving her in my wake, feeling pretty good about myself. She had insulted me, my family, and my Bella all in one conversation, and I was done with Jessica Stanley. I smirked all the way into the break room to clock out and go home. I was surprised to find Bella sitting there picking at a napkin.

"Hey you," I said loudly and happily. She shot her head up and smiled at me. I couldn't figure out what she was doing. She had her bag and thermoses with her like she was ready to go. "You're still here? I assumed you'd be done a lot earlier than me."

"Yeah," she shrugged, "I was I was just sort of waiting… I mean, I was wondering if…" She stopped and looked up at me as her brown eyes quickly scanned my face. "I wanted to make sure that we…" I smirked at her and sat down waiting for her to keep going.

"You're a jackass." I laughed when that came out of Bella's mouth. "Would you just say something? You're dealing with a social retard you know." She was cute when she was frustrated and I would have let her keep going but she might just get up and leave so….

"Bella, I was wondering, are we still going to get together and do something tomorrow?" I asked, giving in for her. I had this feeling I would _always_ give in for her. The bright smile on her face made it worth it, and that mouth of hers.

"Well, if you're going to be all needy, I can't really say no," she smirked at me, _smartass_. "But, I've got some things in the morning, but maybe afternoon, three o'clock or something?"

Right, afternoon, friends hang out in the afternoon I guess. "Sure, did you want me to come to Forks?"

"No," she said almost too quickly, " I mean there's more to do here, plus I have some errands in town. I'll just come by when I'm done?"

"Sure, I'll be waiting," I answered and she got up to leave. I watched her fumble with her thermoses and bag with a smile; she had a clumsy quality about her that was very endearing. She walked to the door and then turned around.

"Hey Jacob, just… thanks. You know, for the hang out invite." I nodded, she had no idea how badly I wanted this too. She thought I was just inviting her as a favor for her or something.

~~**~~

I peed three times and I changed my shirt twice. I fiddled with the television, my keys, my phone and anything else I could. I even cleaned up my room. Where the hell was she? Two thirty, god, thirty more minutes? Get it together Black, you sound like a girl.

Just as I was about to go to the bathroom for the fourth time I heard a knock on the door. I ran to open it but stopped short and took a few deep breaths. I opened the door to find a nervous Bella playing with the strings on her bag.

"Hi," I said breathlessly and she smiled in return as I moved out of the way to let her in. She carefully looked around my apartment, almost studying it.

"I didn't get to look around much last time I was here. You know, just the living room." Then she blushed.

"Oh so, the other night, was the first time you were here?" Mentally facepalming myself I tried to shake it off, "I mean, I thought you and Seth you know, friends…"

She laughed at my discomfort becoming a little more at ease, "No, I mean we are friends, but we've never hung out, I mean he's young enough to be…well I guess my kid brother. Nice though, the place I mean."

"Yeah, it's alright. You look nice by the way, never seen you without your uniform on." God damnit Jake, could you try and keep your foot out of your mouth? "I mean, in different clothes…other than your uniform." Right, smooth.

"So," Bella said, ready to change the subject, "what's the plan for today?"

"Well, I sort of have an idea, if you're up for it. It's a surprise though." She quirked one brow at me curiosity officially perked. "Can we take your truck though? I sort of let Seth drive the car to work."

"Oh, sure no problem." I led her to the door and held it open and we walked to her truck. I held out my hand, waiting for her and she just looked at me.

"What?"

"Keys."

"No, what?"

"Keys," I said again leading her by her elbow to the passenger side and opening the door. "I need your keys if I'm taking you."

"I can drive Jacob," she sarcastically snorted at me.

"No, it's a surprise…please?" Bella handed me her keys and huffed into the passenger side scowling at me the whole time. What a stubborn ass.

I quickly moved around the truck and got into the driver's side turning toward her, "You know you're quite stubborn, you should learn to let people do things for you. What's that?" I asked as Bella was picking up papers from the truck bench to make room.

"Oh, schedules, bills… I signed up for my classes today."

"Classes? At the college?"

"Yeah Jacob, you know, college, where people go when they want to learn…" So for the third time today I unintentionally tasted my foot. Just put me in the corner with a big cone dunce hat.

"Oh, I just didn't know you were taking classes is all, that's cool." She just nodded and I roared the truck to life. Loud noise, less time for talking!

Before I knew it we were pulling in to our destination, I parked and turned off the engine while Bella ducked her head to peer through the windshield. "Really? This is where you go to raise hell?"

"What, who doesn't like miniature golf?" I got out of the truck and ran to her side before she had a chance to open it.

"Well," she said letting me get her door, "I guess it does say 'adventure' in the name."

"Would you just come on," I offered her my elbow, which she hesitantly took, and I lead her toward our first date, unofficially.

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KK...next chapter is the date and I promise to get some of your Bella questions answered...some of them, can't hatch all my eggs at once right?! lol


	6. Chapter 6

**New News!!**

I've been nominated for the **Indie TwiFic Awards**. I'm so excited about this one though there's lots of competition.

So if you feel like they're worthy please go vote, I'm listed in the following categories:

Table for Two: AH Story that Knocks You Off Your Feet (WIP)

Pretty Little Secrets: Canon or AU Story that Knocks You Off Your Feet (Complete)

That Pull: Best Secondary Characterization (for Sam) (Complete)

Here's the voting link: http: // theindietwificawards. com/ vote. aspx (just remove the spaces)

Thanks Everyone!!!

A/N just a thanks to everyone for continued reading. love you all...love you all so much more when you review *shameless review hussy* so please leave me your thoughts! also big thanks to TwifanfictionBG for translating Table for Two into Bulgarian for their readers...who'd a thunk it. love the reviews from over seas!

Thanks my lovely Beta Neutron Phantom for putting up with my inability to even spell "the" right sometimes hahaha. alright I've said enough onto the story bitches.

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**Table For Two**

**Chapter 6**

"Urgh." An indefinable disgruntled noise came from Bella's mouth. I had to laugh at the scene unraveling before me as I watched Bella's third attempt at getting the ball past the windmill.

"Stop laughing, this sucks!"

"Seriously," I said, crouched over holding my stomach, tears in my eyes, "did you just stomp your foot at me?"

"No," Bella scowled stomping her foot again and I pointed at her legs and laugh some more. Bella rolled her eyes and laughed at herself before picking up the ball and walking to the other side of the windmill.

"That's cheating!" I shouted so the only other team on the course turned to look and Bella began to blush as she _shhhh_'d me with one finger over her lips. We played the rest of the hole and moved onto the next.

"What a stupid game," Bella mumbled and pouted toward the next hole. It was times like these with that cute scowl on her face and the spark in her eye that she didn't look so much older than me; she didn't look tired like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. In fact, she looked almost happy, and that made her glow.

"Okay, Happy Gilmore, this time into the croc's mouth and out his tail okay?" I motioned toward the fiberglass crocodile facing us, mouth wide-open waiting for the ball.

"Jacob," she said, turning to set her ball down and then stood back upright looking up at me, "anyone ever tell you that you should try taking your act on the road? Because you're just sooooo funny."

"Ball, croc, mouth, now," I said pointing at the hole in front of her knowing that it irritated her to no end when I tried to act like the boss. We both knew who that was in this relationship.

Over the next few holes I offered my advice, my coaching, and even my putter after she insisted that it was a faulty putter that had her doing so bad. We even let the one other group on the course move ahead of us as we had started holding up the line. It turned eerily silent when they finished and we became the only ones there.

"Okay Swan, crunch time; it's the eighteenth hole, you've got just one chance. What do you do?" I tried pepping her up in my best 'coach' voice.

"Cheat," she said in deadpan.

"Here," I grabbed the club out of her hand and tucked it under my arm as I turned her positioning her in front of her ball. I stood behind her and brought the club around front of her. I gulped hard and swallowed when I bent down and the scent that was distinctly Bella hit me like a freight train and made me lightheaded.

"Okay," I said clearing my throat, "grab the club where my hands are." As she did, I slowly removed my hands and curled them over top of hers. I was having a really hard time focusing on the task at hand. _Putt-Putt man, get it together Black_. "Okay, now just swing with me." I drew the club back and moved it forward smoothly hitting the ball just right as it went directly into the hole and down the hill to the bottom of the course.

"I did it!" Bella shouted and turned around still inside the frame of my arms. Instantly, we were inches apart, me still bent down slightly, and Bella on her toes bouncing excitedly. Suddenly realizing the closeness she stopped bouncing and for a very brief moment we stared at each other, but all too soon Bella caught herself and pulled away.

"Sorry, just got a little excited." She fiddled with the hem of her t-shirt and started down the hill toward her ball.

I followed closely and we quickly finished our last hole. We were back to that uncomfortable silence that sometimes came when neither of us knew what to say. "Hungry yet?" I asked, handing the attendant our putters.

"Sure, sort of," Bella scanned the street line briefly, "there?" she offered and I followed her pointed finger across the street to the park. I smiled brightly at her and nodded. One thing I loved about Bella was that she wasn't into impressing anyone. She didn't need dinners at the fancy club we worked at, and she didn't need things lavishly thrown at her; she just needed someone to be real with her.

We made our way across the street in downtown Port Angeles. "Ladies first," I said, motioning for her to order her dinner and watched as this decision seemed so big for her. I watched her nose scrunch in indecision and chuckled when she finally said "just mustard and relish please."

I waited for the guy with the cart to hand her the hot dog and ordered one with the works. We took our high-end cuisine to a nearby bench and sat down, diving into our dogs. We sat there in silence, but this time it wasn't awkward. It was nice. The sun was out and people were on the waterfront heading out in their boats for the evening.

"I love the water," Bella said eyes still focused on the harbor. "You never know how much you liked or missed something until you don't have it around."

I looked at her, confused. "You don't have water around?" Okay, that sounded more thought out in my head.

"Well, _now_," she said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "but before, before I moved here…my home's not known for having much water around, not like this."

"Huh? I thought you were from Forks. I mean, I heard you still lived with your dad." Shit. _Shit_. Damn. Bella's head snapped up to meet my apologetic gaze; I hoped I hadn't offended her.

But she just laughed. "Well, I haven't always lived with my dad." She sat there momentarily, "you do know that I just moved here right? When I started working with Seth."

"No, how would I know that?"

"Well, Seth and… I mean… he didn't say anything? You didn't ask him?" I couldn't tell if she was relieved that Seth didn't tell me anything, or upset that I hadn't asked about her.

"No!" I shouted. "Well I did ask, but he didn't." Well that went well, moron, now what? "I mean Seth, he doesn't go around telling other people's business. Plus, he said if I wanted to get to know you so bad I was just going to have to do it myself."

My eyes grew really big and Bella blushed but laughed. "I mean… never mind," I shook my head and looked down, waiting for my embarrassing moment to pass.

"It's okay, I guess I just thought you knew. I… I don't mind that you asked," Bella looked up to me from under her lashes and I met her gaze, and for the second time during our 'date' we found ourselves lost in the moment.

"I, um, started working with Seth about 4 months ago and yes I _live_ with my dad but only since I moved here about _five_ months ago." There was almost a defensive edge to her tone and I knew it was because of people like Jessica. She leaned back on the bench and sighed deeply.

"And before that?" I asked, knowing I was taking a big risk but dying to know everything I could about her.

"You ask a lot of questions." She turned to look at me, a slight smile on her face, but discomfort was apparent in her eyes.

"I just want to get to know you Bella. It's not such a bad thing, learning things about your friends."

"What is it about you that makes me feel so comfortable?" Not really asking me, more like she was asking herself. I stood up and offered her my hand, which she took, and I pulled her up before letting go and leading her to the pier.

"Most people like the fancy yachts docked over there." I pointed to the private docks of the Port Angeles Yacht Club. "I prefer these ones, the fishing boats."

"They suit you," she said, smiling, and waved to one of the guys hauling traps off the boats. I wasn't sure what she meant by that, but seeing as I didn't know Bella to have an evil bone in her body, I took it as a compliment. We walked the long pier in silence; once in a while one of us would graze the other, but this time instead of pulling away from me, Bella was comfortable with the accidental touches.

"Arizona," Bella suddenly said when we reached the end of the pier and sat down, she slipped off her sandals so she could dangle her feet off the edge and I followed suit.

"States in the southwest?"

"No," she said and nudged me with her elbow, "before here, I lived in Arizona. Phoenix to be exact."

"Phoenix, wow, that's a pretty big move." A million questions rushed through my head and I didn't know if I should ask them or just listen and be grateful for any bit of info she'd tell me.

"I guess, but sometimes big moves are good for you." She began playing with a few strands of her hair.

"Yeah, I think you're right about that," I answered, remembering the conversation I had with my dad not too long ago. "So, tell me about Phoenix?" I knew all too well that sometimes big moves—life changing moves—meant leaving behind things that weren't necessarily all sunshine and roses.

"Well, I grew up there, with my mom I mean. I saw my dad a lot though. Summers we'd always go somewhere fun, sometimes I'd stay here with him but mostly he'd take me places. California, the Grand Canyon… it was the best part of my summers." She looked out over the water and a small smile played on her lips, and at that moment, she was the most beautiful woman I knew I'd ever seen.

"That sounds nice," I said, fingers itching to touch the side of her cheek, to help her take away the sadness that always stayed in her eyes.

"Mm, I love my dad, that's why I came. He took care of me for years and now it's time for me to return the favor."

"What do you mean 'return the favor'?" Bella looked up at me quizzically then her eyes got large as she realized what she said.

"Oh, um, my dad is just dealing with some things, but Jacob please don't tell anyone at the club. I mean I just…please," she was frantic, scared that I would tell her secrets; I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"It's okay Bella, you don't have to worry about me telling anyone, but know that I'm here if you do need to talk to _someone_."

"Thanks Jacob, you know I don't like people knowing my business. It's bad enough people make up things."

"Sure Bella, I get that, more than you know. What do you say we head back?" I nodded toward the park and the truck across the street. The sun had already begun to set and I had no idea what time it was or how long we had sat there.

Bella nodded and I stood, offering my hand once again to help her up. "I know I've said it before, Jacob, but one of these days I really want to see some ID, you're too polite and well…gentlemanly to be twenty one."

"Well maybe you just haven't met anyone like me before," and I could have sworn she said 'you've got that right' under her breath. "But what did I say about focusing on age so much?"

We made our way back down the pier watching the boats light up like stars on the water; dusk was beautiful on the harbor. "So how exactly did you know I lived with my dad if Seth doesn't talk about me?"

"That's not important. How does Seth know so much about you?" I retorted, still interested in how close the two of them actually were.

"No no no, I've been talking all day Jacob Black, it's your turn." She had me there, but I couldn't let her off the hook that easily. "Tell me all about the life of a college boy, toga parties, panty raids all that stuff you boys do."

I laughed loudly at her. "I can assure you I'm all man, Bella,"—that earned a snort—"but really, my life isn't at all like that. I think you assume way too much about this 'boy'. I should be offended." I threw her a smirk.

"I'm sorry Jacob, I don't mean to do that, it's just…I have an uncanny knack lately of pushing people away. I think if keep reminding myself of how different we are then it will make it easier."

"Make what easier Bella?"

"Not getting attached," she visibly took a large step away from me to put some distance between us. "You don't need to be nice to me but you are, you have a way about you that makes me want to tell you everything, and one of these days you're going to realize how different we are."

I abruptly stopped causing her to turn around and look at me, "Bella, that's not going to happen. I like you, I really like you, and your age or my age or the fact that I still eat Spaghettios for breakfast isn't going to change that. I'm not going anywhere."

Bella laughed at me but nodded her head and offered me a slight smile. "How about this, Bella Swan…" I knew if she was going to take me seriously that I was going to need to start opening up too. But for her, I would. "Tit for tat, you ask me something, and I have to answer it. But you have to do the same."

I grabbed her hand and started walking again, sure that this would get her to play my way. "You're really quite annoying you know? Do you think that cocky smirk and good looks will get you your way?"

"Is that you're first question?" I asked and she looked at me with daggers. It didn't go unnoticed to me that she hadn't yet pulled her hand out of mine. "The answer is no, my pops and the guys don't usually fall for that. So, you really think I'm good looking?"

That earned a blush of embarrassment but unaware her color gave her away she tried to play it off annoyed, "god you have to get over yourself Jacob."

"That's not an answer Bella…but we'll let that pass for now. Let's see," I tapped my chin as we waited at the cross walk in the park heading back toward her truck in the parking lot. "You're thirty years old and just moved here, you're just starting college…"

I could see Bella start to pick at the hem of her t-shirt and get shifty, assuming I was going to ask what she was doing in Arizona before she came here. "So, tell me, how'd your mom end up in Arizona and your dad in Washington?"

Bella visibly deflated, letting go of the breath she was holding and smiled up at me before chatting away. "My dad is a small town guy; simple life, simple needs. He met my mom as she was passing through town driving from Southern California to Vancouver. She said she was trying to 'find herself'. They met, they fell in love and she stayed. Three years later they were married with a two year old."

We reached her truck and both went to the passenger's side. What surprised me was that Bella opened the door then stood aside, motioning for me to get in with a sly grin on her face. I laughed loudly, my head falling back, but dug into my pocket and handed her the keys and climbed in while she shut the door.

"So anyway," she said, getting in and starting the truck, "I think they both knew it was only a matter of time before she got restless and moved on." With a shrug, Bella ended that line of question. I however had a million more questions about her mom.

"So, my turn then?" Bella asked and I nodded, "you going to tell me who's talking about me to you if not Seth?" There was a defensive tone to her voice and I knew she wasn't going to like my answer.

"Jessica may have mentioned it, when we were working." I tried to be dismissive and nonchalant. I did not want to go into the details of _that_ conversation.

"Ah, Jessica," she chuckled but I didn't miss the flash of hurt followed by jealousy that came and went in her eyes. "My biggest fan. So what'd she tell you, I was some spinster old lady living with her father and a house full of cats?"

"Um, something like that I guess," I squirmed a little suddenly uncomfortable.

"Well, its obvious she likes you," Bella glanced out of the corner of her eye to gauge my reaction, to which I had none. "She's pretty opinionated on things that she knows nothing about. Did she…tell you anything else?"

I knew she was hedging me to find out if I knew about the rumor of her and Edward but I wanted to hear that story from Bella herself. "No, nothing, there wasn't much time what with me telling her off."

"What?!" Bella asked, laughing so hard she snorted, "Told her off about what?"

I shrugged smiling at her, "She's a spoiled brat. Told her that I didn't have a daddy paying my way and that my mom was a lunch lady when I was a kid so we didn't really mesh."

And of course, Bella being Bella, being just…perfect… (God I am turning into a girl) kept laughing. "Lunch lady? Yeah my mom did that too." I looked at her in shock but she continued. "Oh yeah, and janitor at my school, that was fun for a sixth grader."

"Tell me about it," then it dawned on me, the similarities, the things we had in common. "Bella, do you find it surreal that we have so much in common? I mean, our backgrounds, our late starts in life…" _our dads being sick._

"Well, if you tell me that you're mom was also a yoga instructor and a preschool teacher or that your dad was a cop then I'm definitely going to call Steven King and tell him I found my doppelganger."

I laughed as I rolled up the window, the air growing cooler with the sun setting. "No, not yoga…your mom really taught yoga? What does she do now?"

"Oh she doesn't work, not since she married Phil…_ Phil_…" Bella's voice became a whisper and her hands started to shake on the steering wheel and her eyes started to water.

"Bella, are you okay?" As if on autopilot Bella pulled herself out of her daze and plastered a smile on her face.

"I'm fine, sorry, just spaced out for a second." Bullshit.

"Bella, what's going on?" She pulled up to the curb of my apartment building, not bothering to pull into the parking lot. I knew that meant she wasn't coming up even if I asked.

"Nothing Jacob, I'm fine, I guess all this talk about Arizona made me miss it."

"And Phil, you got upset when you started talking about him."

"Phil, my step dad, one of the greatest guys in the world, you know he used to play baseball professionally? My mom married him when I was eight."

"So why did…"

"Jacob, it's getting late and I think you've asked me way more questions than I asked you, you owe me like five next time."

Bella had effectively shut down the conversation and our evening and I knew there was no more to be said. "Next time?"

"Um, yeah," she put her truck in park and turned to face me. "I had fun today, I thought you did but if you don't want to hang out…"

"Of course I do, I just thought I royally pissed you off. I want to hang out with you whenever you want."

"I'm not mad Jacob, and I'm trying to be friends. Just don't get frustrated with me okay?"

"Of course, and _next time_, you pick the place and I'll do all the talking okay?"

She flashed me her biggest brightest smile and we agreed to hang out again on Thursday afternoon before work.

Seth still wasn't home when I got upstairs. It was only seven o'clock and he was working the dinner shift at the club so I sat down on the couch and let the day slowly replay in my head. Thinking of the conversation we had about her dad and stepdad I picked up the phone.

"Hey pops," I said after he picked up, "how are you feeling today?"

"Jake, hey kid. I'm good. Had a good day." I smiled into the phone, and listened as he replayed his day starting out with group therapy that lead to Sue taking him and his new friend Charlie over to her house so Harry could take them fishing.

I was glad he had people; it made me nervous with his disease getting worse and being so far away. I allowed myself a little more slack knowing that there were people to help me. This learning to live thing was harder than it looked.

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okay I can't answer your questions until you ask, if your confuzzled about anything let me know. If you don't like something let me know, I may not care but it will get filed away for future reference lol. I know this chapter probably didn't relieve as much about Bella as you wanted but I'm going for as real world as I can get here folks, hopefully your heads are turning now!

xxoo

M.

A/N Blackpack dot livejournal dot com (which I just happen to mod with two of the most killer chicks around) has opened up a Recommended Fics Library so get your asses over there and rec some fics!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: I own nothing...we know this. Sorry for the long delay, i know you all are just DYING for my awesomeness. lol. no really I'm sorry and here's this chapter...i don't like it, but it's a means to the end, I'm just not feeling my own writing these days, that's not a good thing 'eh? lol

thanks to neutron phantom for correctly my grade school level grammar and what not. also guys and dolls don't forget to check out blackpack's new fic library on our main site blackpacklivejournal. oooh and what else? mmmm...nothing I guess.

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Table For Two

Chapter 7

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_What u doing?_

**Getting ready, what's up? **

I was going to punch that kid when I saw him again, he'd been texting me all damn day. Seth and Bella were working a split together and ever since lunch rush was over and he and Bella were basically sitting around the club with nothing to do, he'd been taunting me with texts.

The past week and a half had been amazing. I was getting ready to start school after the holiday weekend and Bella and I have been getting closer. Since our first putt-putt non-date, we've hung out almost every day at work and a few more times outside of work. Only once was our second non-date since Seth was with us the other times, and we were really only hanging around my apartment.

Our second non-date had been on Monday when we were both off again and it was her turn to pick. So we went back to the pier to watch the boats and have a picnic that Bella made before she took me to the movies. Of course she insisted on paying since I did last time, heaven forbid she let herself think this was a real date. Even so, it was an amazing afternoon filled with amazing food. Bella could really cook.

And as promised, I answered a lot of questions. She didn't get too personal asking me about growing up on the rez and my relationship with Seth. I learned that her dad knew Seth's parents and that's how they met when she first moved here, and he was roped into helping move her stuff into his house. He was the first person she met here and even helped put in a good word at the club for her.

I wanted to tell her about my mom, fill her in on my past, hoping it would make her feel more comfortable about opening up to me, but I just couldn't find the words. I was afraid of spoiling a perfectly good time with my sob story. So we fought about age again for the umpteenth time since we met and ended it with her conceding that I was older than most twenty one year olds, and that she was younger than most thirty year olds. But that didn't mean she was willing to get over the physical years that separated us.

So it's now Thursday and I'm sitting on my couch an hour before I have to go into work, yet completely dressed and ready to go because I knew as soon as I got there she would already be there. I jumped when I heard my phone vibrate. Seth again…

_Eating the most amazing food._

**Oooh you got the cooks to feed you, why are you bothering me? **

Why the hell was he bothering me with this shit? Oh yeah, because he's an ass.

_Oh no my brother, Bella brought me food. She's a great cook ;-) _

I felt my temperature flare and I squinted my eyes at my phone like it was the source of my instant jealousy. Really it was the asshat on the other end. Bella's food, for _him_?

_No response? Hmmm. Ur not upset are u honey?_

**You better sleep with one eye open douche.**

_Really? Well Bella said she brought enough for you but…_

I was already out the house and halfway to my car before I realized what I was doing. Damn, this woman had me hooked and she wasn't even my girlfriend. Not yet anyway. The nice thing about Port Angeles was that while it was bigger than La Push, it was still pretty small so I pulled into the employee parking lot only five minutes later.

I flew into the break room but quickly stopped before entering and tried to act like I was just strolling in like I normally would. Seth laughed loudly as I pulled my things out of my locker. He knew why I was there but I prayed to the Gods that he would just keep his fucking mouth shut.

"Hey Bella," I said cool, calm…too bad I was still huffing and puffing like an out of shape truck driver.

"Jacob, why are you out of breath?" she asked, laughing with an evil glint in her eye while she and Seth sat there eating. "Wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that you practically ran in here would it?"

"Now Bella, why would Jake come to work," –Seth looked down at his watch— "almost an hour early? He must have just been out for a jog." He laughed and winked at her to which she shook her head and kept laughing. I squinted my eyes at both of them.

Seth moved to sit sideways with his plate in his hand and was about to lift his fork to his mouth when I grabbed the plate and fork. "Why thanks Seth," I stared at him waiting until he huffed and got up so I could sit in _my_ seat across from Bella.

"Boys…" Bella warned as Seth moved to sit next to her, wrapping his arm around the back of her chair looking all smug. "Here Sethy, you can have this one." Bella magically produced another helping of what looked like lasagna and placed it in front of Seth with a pat on the hand. Yeah, I was fucking jealous.

"Dude, manners," I said, watching him shovel the food in his mouth.

"Just wait 'til you taste it you tool," he said with his mouth full. Seth and I, both used to diets of Ramen noodles and tuna in a can, considered ourselves lucky to eat the employee dinner they served at the club, which usually consisted of chicken fingers or whatever else was breaded and deep fried.

"So what is all this anyway?" I looked to Bella finally seeing she had a huge cooler and drinks and everything.

She shrugged, "I hate eating what they cook so I always bring dinner when I work a split. I knew Seth was here so I brought extra."

I took a big bite of my pasta and was in heaven, it was so good. "And you had time to cook a homemade lasagna when?" I looked at her in awe; every time we were around each other I found myself happily surprised by the little tidbits of her that I got to see.

"I cook in the mornings, for my dad, so he can eat while I'm here. This was last night's dinner."

"It's wonderful," I watched her waiting and she didn't disappoint when the crimson color rushed up her cheeks. She looked down at her papers she was working on and bit her lip. I was still watching her when Seth spoke up. I had forgotten he was even here.

"So Hells Bells, I was at the park yesterday and saw a flyer for a putt-putt tourney. Since I know you're thinking of going pro, I thought you might want to sign up." Seth had been ragging her about that ever since I told him what an awful golfer she was.

"Sure, sure," Bella answered not looking up from whatever she was doing, "as soon as you stop denying your fate and join the Seattle Ballet Troupe."

I laughed loudly choking on my food as Bella giggled lightly letting her hair fall in her face to shield herself from Seth. "So funny, Bella," Seth said, obviously flustered and trying hard to come up with a comeback. "You're real mature there woman."

"If you dish it you should take it. And I never said I was mature…just old." And she laughed again at him as she pretended to comfort him by putting an arm around him.

"Well, between your 'sense of humor', your video game skills, and that oh so cute blush," he mock pinched her cheek and I stifled a growl, "I am having a hard time believing you're _that_ much older than us."

We all laughed again and chatted for a bit waiting for our dinner shift to start. I liked Bella like this, not shy or reserved, not trying to hide the real her; just being Bella. She was open and funny and had a great personality when she let it show. It made me wonder all the more about what it was that happened to her to make her turn into a shy little girl around most people.

Around ten 'til five people started coming and clocking in to work. Most of them sign in and then leave to grab some dinner and head outside, still soaking up the warm weather on the outside patio designated for employee breaks.

Tyler and Ben stopped when they saw our trio in the corner and came over, greeting Seth and I with the typical male fist bump greeting. Angela scooted past Seth to sit in the chair behind Bella and both turned sideways to talk and Bella showed Angela some papers she had while I watched them out of the corner of my eye.

"So man, Monday still on right? BBQ at the complex?" Tyler asked with a lot of enthusiasm. We all lived in the same apartment complex, he and Ben sharing one a building over. Last week they had mentioned to us that they always rent out the clubhouse and pool for a Labor Day party. Seth and I offered to help host this year since our friends from Seattle would be by for the weekend.

"Yep man, we're stoked," Seth said with a little too much enthusiasm, but the kid was young so I decided not to ride him about it. I was excited too but my reasoning was that between Angela, Seth and myself we somehow managed to talk Bella into 'stopping by for a minute'. I thought there was no way in hell she would come to a party, let alone a work party.

But just like any BBQ, ours was going to have ants; ants in the shape of big haired, fake nailed vultures. Speaking of which…

"Oh you guys I'm like sooo excited for the party on Monday. I so haven't even worn my new bikini yet!" Jessica made herself known, storming into the middle of our bubble and bursting it with her talons. "I just hope it's not too revealing," she said turning toward me and leaning on the table that Bella, Seth and I were still sitting at.

Bella snorted but never shifted her gaze away from the booklet of papers she was still holding. Jessica whipped her head around to glare at Bella and then smirked before taking her papers away from her. "Whatcha got here Bella?" Jessica said looking over the papers while Bella chipped away at the flaking linoleum on the table.

"Bella," she screeched before cackling loudly, "you're going to school? _Our_ school?" she laid the papers down and I saw that Bella had been looking at a course schedule, deciding what to sign up for before classes started next week.

"What's your problem Jessica?" Bella looked up shooting daggers.

"Oh, well," Jessica sat up off our table and straightened out her skirt and apron. "I just had no idea you were taking classes. What you going to do, work here full time and take a class at a time? You'll be older than Nancy before you graduate, not that you're much younger than her now."

Jessica looked at Bella like shit on her shoe and it pissed me off so bad that I was shaking; like I literally felt like I was going to burst out of my own skin and go after her. But Bella just sat there, blank expression, not saying a damn word and I was pissed at her for that. My Bella would have called Jessica Stanley on her bullshit and stood up for herself.

"Go fuck off Jessica." I heard it, it was soft and quiet and I had to do a double take, but I sure as hell heard it and I smiled across the table at the mousy girl who spoke those words.

"Excuse me Angela, what the fuck is it to you? What, you're BFFs now or something?" I kept staring at Angela, and Ben beamed at his girl but she held her steadfast glare at Jessica waiting for her to back down first. "Fine, whatever, but you may want to tell the lifer she can't take 300 level classes as a freshman." And with that she sauntered out of the break room.

After a few awkward seconds everyone else started punching in and leaving too with the sounds of Mike bellowing for everyone to come to pre-shift. Angela got up and whispered something to Bella who was still just sitting there staring at the papers on the table.

Bella started to gather her things and walked over to her locker still not speaking. "Why do you let her talk to you like that Bella? As a matter of fact, why do you let everyone do that? You walk around like a god damn zombied-out little girl afraid to speak." I know it was harsh and I felt guilty the moment I watched her shoulders flinch from my words.

"Dammit. Bella I'm sorry, really. I 'm just mad at Jessica and I didn't mean it…"

"It's fine Jacob, ignoring her is easier. She wants a reaction out of me," Bella slammed her locker shut and turned to face me. "I'm not going to give her the satisfaction of getting to me." She looked up to me and smiled lightly.

"Are you sure you're okay? I mean that was a pretty intense slap in the face, and did you see Angela? Who knew!"

"Oh I knew about Angela, don't wake the sleeping dragon," Bella said with a laugh and nudged me as she walked by. "Thanks for that though, I know most people see me as a doormat, but I'm not. I just…now maybe you see why I don't bother, with people I mean."

I watched her walk away and one thing was made even clearer to me, I was going to find out who or what broke Bella Swan and I was going to prevent it from ever happening again. I walked out of the break room through the kitchen and into the dining room for pre-shift where the vulture was at it again.

"I don't see why we _all_ have to, some of us have lives you know." I heard Jessica screeching at Mike about something. I slipped into the meeting and pulled up a chair beside Bella, poking my finger into her side; she still looked a little upset but smiled and elbowed me before turning back to the 90210 drama that was happening in front of us.

I saw Jessica watching us the whole time and just smirked at her, and I think I literally saw steam coming out of her ears. "Can't you just make Bella or Nancy volunteer? I mean it's not like either of them have plans anyway."

"What's going on?" I whispered in Bella's ear causing her to shiver. Yeah, deny it all you want Ms. Swan.

"Monday work shift, we're closed but the Yacht Club wants some more help since it's their busy end of year party. Mike's trying to weasel out some volunteers before he 'draws straws'."

Mike's booming voice interrupted, "Sorry Jessica, unless anyone wants to volunteer then I have no other option but to pick one of you randomly. I suppose you aren't willing to give up your plans…"

Jessica looked at him as if he'd gone mad. Of course she wouldn't be giving up her plans to work so others could have the day off, selfish bitch.

"I have no problem working Mike, I could use the money anyway," Nancy peeped up from the last row of tables. I hardly spoken one word to the older woman since I started here and it wasn't because I was avoiding her it was just because she usually worked in the women's locker room or banquet hall. But she was a nice woman in her late forties with a family at home. And yes, she was a 'lifer' as Jessica called her, but that didn't make her anything less. I admired her hard work; she reminded me of my mom.

"Thanks Nancy, as always I can count on you," Mike smiled warmly at her before looking at the rest of us, waiting for someone to volunteer. I saw Bella shift in her seat and I knew what she was thinking. I looked over to Seth who hadn't seen her but I did, the eyeballs-wide-sideways look at her so he'd get the point.

"Don't you even dare Swan, I've got a beer and hamburger waiting for you at my BBQ," Seth said winking at Bella from across the table.

"It's just a few hours, I can stop by after, it's really not a big deal," she hushed back at him. Selfless, my girl was big hearted, broken…and selfless.

"I can work Mike, not a problem," she said and everyone relaxed a little knowing they wouldn't have to work on the holiday. Jessica grinned evilly and proud.

"Of course, you'll be fine Bella. Besides, Dr. Cullen should be there, but you probably already knew that."

Several things happened in that moment. Mike yelled at Jessica to go to his office and wait for him, several people started laughing, and Bella got up and ran out of the room before I could do anything. What the hell was going on? This really was some Melrose Place shit going on around here. I looked at Seth, I know I hadn't been here long but I'd never seen this shit before. He just looked at me sadly.

"Everyone. That's enough." Mike yelled, "Angela, please if you would, go check on Bella," he asked, smiling at her before leaving to go deal with Jessica.

I waited until everyone else was walking out and turned to Angela, "If you don't mind, I'll go find her."

"Yeah," she nodded at me smiling kindly, "that would be good." She winked at me before leaving.

I walked around the club a little bit, going into the break room and then outside to the employee area but didn't see Bella. I walked towards the front of the house and the receptionist looked at me sadly, pointing toward the coat check by the main entrance. I nodded my thanks and kept going.

I found Bella in the corner of the coat check room sitting on a chair picking at her nail polish. She didn't seem to be upset or crying like I had expected. I walked over and knelt down in front of her pushing her hair out of her face.

"Bella, honey, are you okay?" She looked up at me, glaring. Yeah right, smart question there Jakey boy. "What can I do for you?" She just shrugged.

"You know Jessica is the only one that believes that shit right?" Again she shrugged.

"You heard then? Why didn't you tell me you knew? She told you and you said that she hadn't said anything else. You know, if you talk to her that's fine, whatever do what you want, but you should have told me."

I sighed deeply. Bella trusted no one and I was this close to losing what trust she had put in me. "Bella, I didn't tell you because I didn't believe her for one second and I knew none of what she said was true."

Bella lifted her head and looked at me with questioning eyes like she was searching my face for any tick of deceit. "Really?"

"Really. Besides, I wanted you to tell me when you were ready."

"I didn't, I mean Jacob you have to know, I didn't ever sleep with him," Bella looked up at me with pleading eyes and while I didn't understand everything that was going on with Bella and Edward Cullen I did believe her.

"I know Bella," I rubbed her arms while kneeling in front of her, I wanted to pick her the fuck up and squeeze until she felt safe but that might be overstepping thngs just a bit.

"But I know Jessica, she thinks she saw something she didn't and I know how manipulative she can be but I don't understand why she hates me. Just promise me Jacob, tell me that you won't listen to her, be careful what you tell her."

"I don't talk to her Bella, I wouldn't lie about that. I'm not interested in talking to her and I would never hurt you like that. Besides, if I did I would tell you, I'm not going to sugar coat shit for you. That's not what _we_ do right?"

She nodded smiling at me then rolled her eyes sitting up straight and stretched. I couldn't help the natural tingle that moved through my body when she did. I knew she felt better when she started to try and fix herself up, "God, I'm just so fucking embarrassed," she growled out and damn if hearing her angry and cussing certain parts of me didn't twitch.

"Come on," I stood up quickly, pulling her up with me and wrapped my arm around her shoulder, glad that she didn't flinch away from me. "Never let 'em see you sweat doll, I'm right there behind you."

"You and me against the world?" I nodded and laughed serious as a heart attack about that shit. "Team Jacob/Bella huh?" I laughed again and she pulled her hair into a ponytail and straightening her apron.

"Team Belcob maybe?" She scrunched her nose up and me and shook her head. "Jalla? Jella? Jello!" and now I had her laughing and I knew she was going to be okay. Fuck the Jessica Stanley's of the world.

"Awe, well isn't this just the cutest thing." I swung Bella and I around, arm still draped over her shoulder, to come face to face with the good Doctor himself and his half drunk before 5 PM wife. "Bella, sweetheart, I didn't know you had a fella," Tanya Cullen said while smiling away unaware of the rest of the world, alcohol induced bubble making her "perfect" world go 'round.

Bella's blush grew to a bright red and only increased when Alice and her husband came up behind them. Alice was beaming at us "Dr." Cullen looked enraged. His fists were balled up at his sides and I squeezed Bella's shoulder but she pulled away from me. What the hell?

"Bella, may I have a word with you for a moment?"

She nodded and without looking back walked out the front door. Again, what…the…hell?!

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reviews / opinions are like assholes...everybody has one so leave me yours...lol your review not your asshole keep that shit to yourself.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N thanks to everyone who keeps reading and reviewing...you are LOVE! So, this next chapter wasn't supposed to go on and on like it did but I was having too much fun so I hope you enjoy. The next chapter I promise will reveal some shit...no really I mean it....lol. Oh and I did in fact work at a country club in college so that's where this stuff comes from in case you were wondering if I was making this funk up or not lol. READ ON

thanks to Neutron Phantom for being a lovely Beta. I own no characters but would love a Jake Manillow...you know what I'm talkin' about lol

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**Table for Two **

**Chapter 8**

I stood still in the middle of the country club entryway, waiting and wondering what the hell was going on. Bella was upset and she just walked away, and just went when she was called. I couldn't tell if she was happy to go or just trying to escape the scene.

"So," Doc's wife walked over to me like a drunk cat, "you and Bella huh? That's cute. She's cute. A little quiet for me, but she seems so sad all the time..." The glassy faraway look in her eyes made me feel sorry for her briefly. If she was unhappy, which clearly she was, then she should just leave Doucheward and go on about her life.

"No, ma'am, I mean, Bella and I are just friends." There was a loud annoying snort behind Tanya and I clenched my fists together. Mr. Whitlock seemed to sense my frustration and anger and slapped me on the back to pull my attention to him.

"Well Jacob, how about we get us seated in the dining room then." I just blinked at him; I'll never understand rich people.

"You two go ahead," Tanya slurred, "I'm just going to have Eddie check my coat. Come on dear." I almost burst out laughing hearing her call him Eddie; that is, until he started yelling at her for calling him that. I bet the dick even made his own wife call him Dr. Cullen.

"Do you think you should wait for Mrs. Whitlock, sir?" I suggested to Jasper, hoping he would stick around and I would be able to figure out why the hell Bella took off with Alice.

"I'm sure she wants her privacy Jacob. Don't worry, Bella is in good hands."

"I'm not," I shouted a little too defensively. "I mean, I didn't mean to say she wasn't, I just… how do Mrs. Whitlock and Bella know each other? Outside of here I mean."

"Jacob, I know you care about Bella, that is obvious. She is a lovely woman, but I think perhaps you should ask her that and she'll tell you once she's ready."

I nodded, but that wasn't enough, I kept looking back and Jasper chuckled lightly at me mumbling something about lovesick fools. Lovesick, I wasn't lovesick. Bella wasn't even my girlfriend; how could I be…

"Jacob!" I jumped out of my skin and shook the thoughts out of my head, not ready to go down _that_ path yet. I looked around to see that Jasper had left me and headed to the hostess to be seated. "Sorry Jacob, didn't mean to scare you. You find Bella? She's okay?"

"Yeah Mike, she's fine now, just taking a few minutes to freshen up." I wasn't sure if talking to the members like she was would be frowned upon, so I covered for her. He nodded lightly and told me I would be in the main dining room, but to help Seth out in the grill if he needed it and walked away.

~~**~~

Bella came back into the dining room with Alice a few minutes later, but we were already busy so I didn't have a chance to talk to her about anything. I caught her eye when she first came into the dining room and I know she read my concern, but she gave me a small smile and a wink and I knew she was okay.

I spent the whole night bouncing between the main dining room and the grill, so around 8 PM when I got my first slow down I went to look for Bella. I walked through the dining room and noticed that the Whitlocks and Cullens were still here sipping on coffee and eating dessert. Yeah, I guess if I could have afforded a five-course meal at this place it would have taken me nearly three hours to eat too. Plus, I'm sure the good doctor tried to draw the stay out as long as possible seeing as how he insisted Bella be their waitress. But I noticed he wasn't sitting at the table with the others and was immediately concerned about where he was.

I looked around for Bella, not quite sure why I needed to make sure she was okay. Why did I feel so damn protective? I'm sure he just went to the john and she's in the kitchen. I swung through the doors of the kitchen and didn't see her, so I went into the break room. Nothing. I headed back out and into the grill, thinking maybe I missed her and she was with Seth.

"Hey man," Seth looked up from the bar with a drink in his hand.

"Hey, have you seen Bella?"

"Naw, not in a while actually. Why, what's up?" He grinned at me and I resisted the urge to cuff him in the back of the head.

"Nothing, just curious." I cut through the grill to go back into the kitchen from the second entrance and I saw the door to the men's locker room open. That usually wasn't a big deal, it was always open during the day; the golfers would come in and change then take the hallway into the grill for their drinks after golf. But this was odd because the last round of golf finished hours ago.

I started down the dark hallway and as I got closer to the actual locker room I noticed a soft light. Someone was in there. I quietly leaned into the locker room without stepping off the carpet and onto the loud tile floor.

"Oh _god_…" What. The. Fuck? "Yes… Mmmm… yes." Holy Shit!

My eyes had to be big as saucers and I shook my head to make sure I wasn't hearing things. This was the distinct sound of someone getting fucked.

"Yeah baby, do you like that?" Oh god I'm going to blow chunks, who the hell was making a porno is there? Then it registered. Dr. Eddie wasn't at his table, but Tanya was. Is the doc in there getting it on with someone else? But that couldn't be, I turned on my heels and jetted back down the hallway. I stopped dead in my tracks when the panic hit me. Jessica. Bella. No, no I had to trust Bella, I mean, I did trust Bella… but…

Okay Black, just calm the fuck down; you don't know what was going on back there. I ran out of the hallway and shut the door so no one else would go back. I sighed heavily and leaned against the door with my eyes closed, trying to remind myself I was just jumping to wrong conclusions, but I couldn't help them and that made me want to kick my own ass.

"Hey whatcha doin' back here?" I jumped, literally like jumped off the ground, space between my feet and the floor. I turned to look down and see big, brown doe eyes staring at me like I had two heads.

"Bella," I barely breathed out. I pulled her to me and hugged her. I wasn't thinking, I just did it. I was so relieved that it wasn't her I heard back there with him. If I hadn't immediately started feeling guilty for even having the slightest doubt, I may have been able to register the feeling of her in my arms, the way she fit perfectly into my chest, her shoulders resting comfortably below my arms.

"Jacob," she giggled, "I missed you too, but really we just talked like a few hours ago."

I laughed into her hair and set the lightest of kisses on her head, so light I'm sure she didn't even feel it. "I'm sorry honey, I just…I mean…people are having sex back there." I whispered and hitched my thumb over my shoulder, pointing to the long hallway.

"Really?" she grinned wickedly, "Do you know who?" she asked, trying to dart around me.

"Um, no not really I… maybe… but eww, lets not go there. But I just heard things. You know," and I watched Bella turn a light pink but that mischievous look still danced in her eyes. I technically didn't really know _who_ was having sex, and I really didn't want to go down that path since Bella seemed to be in a better mood now.

"I know. You know, I caught Tyler and Lauren in the supply closet once."

"What?"

"And you don't even want to know about what goes on in the women's locker room. I swear there is more sex in this place than a brothel." I stood there shocked; one, because my angel was talking about sex like it was nothing, and two, because damn if I didn't work around a bunch of freaks in the sheets!

"Well dang," was all I could come up with. "You'd think they'd be worried about getting fired."

"Ha, half the people having sex here aren't employees," she watched me carefully as it dawned on me that the members fucked like rabbits here too, even though they probably had some four poster designer beds with 800 count sheets and shit. I formed an "O" with my mouth and Bella nodded knowingly.

"So listen, Beevis, Mike said I could go since I worked a swing but he wanted me to get all my tables done. The only ones left are the Cullens, would you mind finishing them up for me?"

I looked at her in disbelief, "Bella, seriously?"

"I know but everyone is swamped and I know you're our floater and…" she looked up at me and gave me her best pout which sucked by the way, but did it really matter? I rolled my eyes and nodded.

"Thanks babe, you're the best," she jumped up on the balls of her feet.

"Yeah yeah, just remember this Swan, I want my paybacks."

"Psh, haven't you heard of doing something out of the kindness of your heart Black?"

"Of course, I just don't see how it applies to us." Bella quickly elbowed me in the side and waved me off dismissively.

I walked back through the kitchen with her until we got to the break room so she could grab her things. "Thanks again Jacob, I'll see you tomorrow. I'm going home, I'm beat."

"Well, I have off tomorrow so I'm going to see my dad, but I'll be back by dinner shift on Saturday."

"Okay then, have fun with your dad!"

"Right, talk to you later." We both waved goodbye and I walked back out to the dining room and noticed Doc had made it back to his table looking smug as ever. I made my way over and sneered at him as I cleared their dessert.

"Where's Bella?" the good doctor asked. This guy was fucking unbelievable.

"She went home, I'll be finishing up for her," I gritted out. Surprisingly, or not so much, they were quickly done with their meal after that and I was rid of him for the evening.

~~**~~

Being at home with my dad was a roller coaster. I took him to run his errands that he'd been neglecting and listened to him gossip and fill me in on everything I had missed. Being Billy Black, he gossips like a 12-year-old girl. But while that part was fun, there were times when it was really depressing. He tries to put on a good front, but anyone can see that his health is failing. We ended up spending half my visit home fighting.

I said I was going to try and cut hours and come home more or go to school part time; that pissed him off to no end. I felt like I was abandoning him when he needed me most. We talked to Sue about getting a nurse to stop by once every day or every other day just to make sure he was okay, but financially that wasn't a real option for us. He told me it would hurt him more to see me come back because of him than to stay and live my life, it was so confusing.

Sue assured me that dad was handling his meds well and hadn't had any bouts or symptoms that usually came with diabetes at his stage, like seizures or insulin shock or whatever the medical terms were for that shit. All I knew is that every time I was home I felt guiltier for leaving, but dad felt more and more proud of me for going out and living life.

I left him with the promise to come back more; I only lived an hour away and now that school was starting I would be working less and could come home more often. He teased me relentlessly about bringing my 'girlfriend' with me and I sighed because what could I say? Dad knew about Bella and no matter how many times I told him she was just a friend he would just give me that look like he didn't believe a word I said. In reality I would want nothing more than to bring her with me.

Around 3 PM, I pulled into my apartment parking lot just as Mike was calling me to tell me I didn't need to worry about coming in. I guess Friday had been pretty slow with all the Memorial Day weekend crap going on across town at the yacht club and he expected tonight to be even slower. So I finally had my first Saturday off in I don't know how long and I had nothing to do. Seth was working a double shift and Bella was working dinner; I had to work Sunday dinner shift so I wasn't about to drive back home either.

Two hours later I had made a few phone calls, went to the store and ordered pizzas. The guys were planning on coming from Seattle tomorrow afternoon for our Labor Day party, but with very little convincing on my part, I managed to talk them into coming a day early to spend their Saturday night with me. I was getting ready hop in the shower before the guys showed up and my phone buzzed.

_So, night off…must be nice :) ~B._

I grinned stupidly at my phone, even though we'd called each other and texted to set up plans for our 'non-dates,' she'd never just contacted me for no reason. I coughed and mentally chastised myself for going all squealing-girl over a text message.

**Not complaining…so work's dead huh? **

_Pretty much, what are you doing?_

**Friends from Seattle coming in early…**

I waited a few minutes and didn't hear back so I assumed she had to start work. I took a quick shower and changed into a t-shirt and gym shorts. I was walking around the apartment brushing my teeth and I heard my phone again.

_Ah boy time…_

**I think you mean MAN time.**

_Whatever, have fun though. Mike gave me off tomorrow. Payoff for Monday I think._

I was bummed a little myself that I wouldn't see Bella for two more days, but she deserved the day off after that shit Jessica pulled. Plus seeing her outside of work at my party would be ten times better.

**NICE! You should stop by with Seth then after work.**

I hit send just as the door to my apartment flew open and two of the most obnoxious boys (yep, still boys) flew into my living room. I got up and greeted them with a manly chest bump. Quil Ateara and Embry Call had been my best friends since before elementary school. I hadn't seen them a whole lot since high school, both opting to move to Seattle right after graduation.

"Dude, this place is killer, did you see the chicks out by the pool?" Ah Quil, how I've missed you.

"Ten seconds," I said looking at my wrist even though there was no watch on it, "that's a new scoping record for you. Wonder what Claire would say about that."

"Psh, guys weekend… looky, no touchy, my friend," Quil wiggled his eyebrows at me and I suddenly felt sorry for little Claire Young back at the rez finishing high school. She really did put up with a lot with this guy. I smiled though; they had a weird relationship but it was real, they were perfect for each other.

"Yo, Shitface," Embry smacked me upside the head then thrust a case of beer at me, "what's with the stupid smirk? Ohhhh… it's the old lady that's got you all jacked up; never thought I'd see the day."

I was already in the kitchen putting the beer in the fridge and rolled my eyes. "I didn't have a stupid look on my face, and fuck off, she's not my old lady… yet."

"Give it up man, Seth filled us in, you're toast over this chick dude," Embry stole one of the beers from my hand and headed back into the living room.

"Besides," Quil chimed in, "we hear she really is your 'old lady'," he said with air quotes and all. "What'd you do, move to a new town full of hot college babes and run to the one cougar you could find?"

I turned the corner in the hall and saw him fiddling with my phone. He looked up at me and smirked but that fell quickly when he saw how pissed I was. I leapt on him from 10 feet away and pulled him into a headlock. This was our way of handling things. I knew he was joking, but he knew that shit wasn't kosher either.

"Okay, okay man, fuck," Quil was fighting me off him while Embry just chuckled and turned the baseball game on. "Let go dude, I'm sorry," I released him with one last slap to the back of the head.

"She's not old, asshole, just because you prefer the illegal kind, you fucking pedo." I glared at him and he glared back. Our head to head lasted all of 10 seconds before we were both laughing again and clinking our beer cans together.

"You know I was playin' though right? I can't wait to meet the little missy that's got your balls in a vise."

"Whatever man," was all I could say because well, he was right. That girl, no, that _woman_ had me wrapped around her cute little finger and she had no idea. I was never one for dating much like Seth and Embry, but I also didn't latch on to the first girl in high school to show me some attention like Quil. No, I was biding my time until I found her, I knew I would, I knew somewhere something would pull the two of us together, me and the girl I was meant to be with, and damn if I didn't think that person was Bella.

My phone beeped again and I quickly grabbed it as the name "Bella" appeared on the screen as if to answer my previous thoughts with confirmation. I smiled widely even though I could hear Embry's snorts of disapproval.

_Um, WTF Jacob Black…you better be drunk._

What? I scratched my head as I read the text from Bella. The last one I sent her was to tell her she should come over after work. I'm not quite sure…

"QUIL!" I shot my head up, shouting his name as he got up off the couch and ran to the bathroom slamming the door.

"Quil-mother-fucking-Ateara, what the fuck did you do?"

"Hey man, privacy…please."

I growled loudly and kicked the door of the bathroom before I stomped back into the living room. Embry was still sitting in the chair, drinking his beer with that damn smirk he wears all the damn time. I flopped down on the couch and started scrolling through my messages.

**NICE! You should stop by with Seth then after work. **

_What and interrupt man time? Isn't there a no girls allowed rule_? Okay, so didn't get that message from her…

**Usually but for you I'll make an exception. Every man's night needs one girl, how do you feel about pole dancing?**

I blinked my eyes over and over assuming that maybe they were out of focus because there was no way in hell one of my best friends just texted my girl to ask her to pole dance for us. Right? I mean, in what sick universe…I was so beyond fucked now, no wonder she asked if I was drunk, fucking pervert.

**Bella, OMG that wasn't me, I swear to god, Quil…he's just not right in the head. **

Nothing.

**Bella please believe me, it was his sick idea of a joke, I think he ate paint as a kid.**

Nothing; it had been nearly three hours and a case of beer later and still no response from her. I looked at the clock and it read 8:30 PM. I had tried Seth, but he wasn't answering either. I probably pissed him off too. Quil apologized for the first hour, then he groveled for the second; by the third we were all too drunk to care. It was an innocent mistake; Bella would get over it…eventually.

By 9 PM we had eaten all the pizza, drank all the beer and were now sitting around watching The Bad Girls Club because who doesn't love a crazy bitch catfight every now and then? We talked every once in a while, filling each other in on shit. Then while we were arguing over who was sober enough to walk to the nearest carry out for more beer the front door swung open.

"Lucy, I'm HOME," Seth shouted in his best Ricky impersonation, which was lame even by 1950s TV standards. We all started laughing at him as he strolled in with what looked like carryout boxes in one hand and a case of beer wrapped up in his other arm.

"Hells yeah!" Quil said jumping up taking both the food and beer from him and camping out on the futon with it.

"Well nice to see you too, Fuckface," Seth said with a grin as he nodded to me and Embry stood to give him a bro-hug.

"Hey man, you look good kid," Embry sized up Seth and patted him on the back. "How'd you score the grub and the beer?"

"The food, just leftovers, but the booze, that would be me," a small voice that I would recognize anywhere stated as she rounded the corner and slammed the front door shut. I sat there stunned as I watched Bella walk into the living room with more carryout in her left hand and a bottle of tequila in her right.

She looked over to me with a shit-eating grin on her face before looking at Seth who knowingly pointed to Quil. Bella moved past me, handing me the carryout on the way, I was still fish facing it, wondering what the hell was going on, as she stood in front of Quil still holding onto the bottle of alcohol.

"Quil," Bella stated more than asked and he looked up from his container of chicken wings and nodded like a scared child. "Well," she said handing him the half empty bottle, "best go get some shot glasses, if I'm going to dance for you I need to get drunk first."

* * *

Now, review, please. :-)


	9. BIG AUTHOR NOTEANNOUNCEMENT TIME

**~~ITS JUST AN AUTHOR'S NOTE!~~**

OH MY GAH! Has it really been this fucking long? Time to blow the dust off this bitch and finish what I started!

Sorry I've been gone so long, I hope you all still love me *bats eyelashes* I'm shooting for updates every two weeks or there abouts. I've got most of the next chapter ready to go for you by the end of the week…here's a little something to keep you interested:

Outtake: Chapter 9

"YEAAAAA take it off," Embry shouted from his spot in the chair.

"That's it work it, work it harder," a now drunk Seth whooped twirling around the discarded shirt in the air.

Bella's hands flew up to her face to try to hide from the world, like she was NOW embarrassed at where the events of tonight led. I stood up, wobbled over to the middle of the room and bent down to pull her hands away from her face. Even her adorably drunken 'help m'e plea that was in her eyes wasn't enough to make me want to put a stop to this…

"This is allllll your fault Bells," I slurred a little more drunk than I realized, "you wanted this, now you have to see this to the end."

Ok. Thanks it. I told you it was just a little something. Anyway. Thanks for being patient while I took some time off. I'm updating my author profile too. I've got some new haunts on some great Jacob/Pack FanFic sites so be sure you check them out!

I've also got a Twitter now. Its wolfpull85

So feel free to stop by and follow if you're on Twitter. Send a holla at me too!


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